Household adjective[before noun]: Relating to a house

also
House noun [sing]: A building that people live in + Hold noun [sing]: Control, Keep
WRITTEN AND DEVELOPED BY:
Riccardo Sirignano and Simone Formicola

Based on Household by Riccardo Sirignano

PRODUCTION: Simone Formicola

LEAD ARTIST: Daniela Giubellini

CREATIVE DIRECTION: Riccardo Sirignano

ADDITIONAL ART BY QUADRA STUDIO: Antonio De Luca (Art Director),

Federica Costantini, Alessandro Paviolo, Alessandro Cancian

MAPS AND FRIEZES: Fabio Porfidia

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Antonio D’Achille, Riccardo Sirignano, Jacopo Zanessi

GAME DESIGN CONSULTATION: Claudio Pustorino

ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Caterina Arzani

ENGLISH REVISION: John Marron

ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION: Andrea Buzzi, Angela Cattoni

PLAYTESTERS: Gianluca Alvino, Caterina Arzani, Morena Balocchi, Marcus Burggraf,

Andrea Buzzi, Eva Cara, Angela Cattoni, Claudia Cirillo, Alessio Coccaro, Mauro Cola,
Antony D’Alessandro, Claudia D’Aniello, Laura Fornasari, Grelots Lagriffe, Simo Zambardino

© 2022 Two Little Mice SRL, all rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced without
specific permission by the Developers.
 Contents
Preface 4 V. Contracts 129
Hereditary Contracts 131
I. Folk & Nations 13 Personal Contracts 143
Faeries 16 Terrible Terrible Things 146
Realm 19 Welcoming Contracts 148
Boggarts 22
Hearth 25 VI. Equipment & Wealth 151
Sprites 28 Wealth 152
Free Dominions 31 Equipment 155
Sluagh 34 Gadgets 156
Horde 37 Weapons 158

II. Your Character 41 VII. Household History 167

Character Sheet 42 Master’s Disappearance 168
Wild Hunt 171
III. Professions 49 First Household War 172
Soldiers 50 Battle of Quillwaters 175
Scholars 54 High Counceil 180
Hunters 58
Criminals 62 VIII. Saga 183
Duelists 66 Few or Many Players 189
Animal Handlers 70 Historical Events 191
Beetle 74 Advancement 196
Bumblebee 75
Gecko 76 IX. The House 201
Mouse 77 Entry Hall 206
Traits 78 Inbetweens 209
Wheel of the Year 210
IIII. How to play 83 Dining Hall 214
Action Rolls 86 Living Room 232
Reaction Rolls 93 Upper Floor 246
Stress 97 Basement 260
Fields & Skills 100
Moves 104 Appendix I 275
Aces Up Your Sleeve 104 Opponent Traits 278
Help & Hindrance 106 Weak Spots 280
Conflicts 110 Opponents 282
Combat 112
Shooting 118 Appendix II 305
Conditions & Decorum 122 Pride & Prejudice & Centipedes 306
 Preface Scratch that, it’s a normal House, they are the ones
to be tiny, but they don’t really know this, so they say
Readers beware the House is big. Anyway, this Herasmo was a pretty
These pages are the only two in this book written by smart fellow, as he wrote this book to give everyone a
a human like you, written by me. chance to experience and retell the adventures lived by
Because this book was written by the Little Folk for littlings in the House, so that their deeds could enter
the Little Folk. Let me explain. the annals of History.

One day as I was minding my own business, I stum- This means that what you are holding isn’t just a game,
bled into a tiny little book, so small it could sit on my but a bridge between our world and another. One that
finger. And clearly I pocketed it. Nobody gives you is much smaller and much more wonderful. Thanks to
anything for free these days, on the rare occasions you the book, we can finally learn and transcribe the story
find something like this, you just have to keep it. of the Household and the Little Folk that live there.
But to get to it, one way or another, this tiny little And this is great.
book spent a couple years collecting dust in a drawer But even more importantly, we can do this while
before I even realized that there was actually some- playing a game together, becoming tiny littlings and
thing written on its tiny pages. So I called a friend of becoming the protagonists of little great adventures.
mine who had a good magnifying lens and asked to And that’s even better.
borrow it for a while, he lent it to me, and thus I set
out to read what was written on the strange tiny book Anyway, this is the long and short story of how we
I had found. found, translated, copied, and scaled to human size the
book you are now holding, which is the faithful replica
As it turns out, the book had been written who knows of Herasmo’s work. We honestly hope and believe you
when by a fellow named Herasmo J. Hemingway, and can have much fun reading and playing it.
he wasn’t exactly a human being, but a “little being”, Oh and I almost forgot: this book is titled Household.
specifically a “boggart”. If you aren’t following, it’s
okay. I too understood nothing of these things before
reading the tiny book. Even more so because the book
was written in some strange language that was a little WHAT IS A
old English, a little modern English, and a little chest- ROLE PLAYING GAME
nut cake. A tabletop role playing game (TTRPG) is a game
where Players take turns in playing the part of
Once we finished translating the entirety of this tiny Characters and have fun interacting and creating a
book, we ended up with a much larger book, all black wonderful story together.
and white and with no pictures. But the tiny little
book was full of pictures and color, and was overall just One of the Players takes on the role of Narrator, and
beautiful to see. So we called another friend, and she they are tasked with preparing and leading the gaming
sat down with all her patience and talent and copied session.
the beautiful pictures one by one, losing a couple diop- The Narrator describes the situation the Characters
ters and many nights of sleep in the process. are in, and then asks the Players what they would like
to do. The Players then each describe the actions of
In the end we learned that Herasmo and the other lit- their Character and take turns building the story.
tlings are just a couple “tiny meters” tall, a unit of mea- When Players are facing a danger or conflict, or
sure that still eludes us, and they live in a huge aban- when they want to do something with an uncertain
doned House. outcome, they use dice to determine the result.

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 Household
Household is a Role Playing Game filled with ad-
venture, intrigue, and social interactions set in a large
Tiny Meters
abandoned House. We have no way of knowing how tall
It takes place in a world that resembles the first years littlings are, or how big the House
of our XIX century, in which each room constitutes a truly is.
proper nation you can explore.
What we know is that the Little Folk
Players of Household take on the role of littlings, lit- measure everything in tiny meters, a
tle beings of the Little Folk from European folklore. unit of measurement that is, alas, un-
Together, these littlings will go on to live little great known to us to this day.
adventures that span over five of the most troubled
years in the history of the House, beginning at the end As such, we decided to consider that,
of the First Household War and living in the shadow for littlings, a tiny meter is about as
of a new threat. It was a magical period when all Folk large as a meter is to humans.
came together in new alliances despite old disagree- It’s easier to live with this lack of
ments, a time of ideological and industrial revolutions. clarity than to try and cram our un-
All this, always on the brink of a diplomatic incident. sizely units of measurement into this
tiny world.

WHAT ARE WE PLAYING?

Players of Household take on the role of littlings and
retrace their steps over the span of five Chapters, each
representing one year in the History of the Household.
The game is mainly focused on the characters, their
relationships, and their linear and non-linear growth. HOW TO PLAY
Household is played with a game engine that uses
During each Chapter some historical events will take small pools of six-sided dice to determine the outcome
place, changing the House and its inhabitants forever of any task that might entail risks, or that could lead to
and possibly interfering to varying degrees with the memorable consequences.
characters’ story.
When rolling dice in Household, your goal isn’t to roll
Typical adventures in Household can be: the highest or lowest possible total. To reach success,
you have to combine two or more dice with the same
Ӵ Investigating on the disappearance of a result in pairs, three-of-a-kind, and so on.
precious bumblebee The larger the number of dice on the same side, the
Ӵ Taking part in the great ball on the greater your success!
Chandelier
Ӵ Exploring the lair of a spider Household uses custom dice designed to make it eas-
Ӵ Crossing the Long Hallway and facing its ier and faster to spot your successes. While these dice
pitfalls are recommended to enhance your gaming experience,
Ӵ Going on a mission for the Sultan of Piping they are not a requirement.

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r 6 s
 Pictured Here:
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Piano in Blackshine
 Z
Household

Volume I
Years VI H.C. - X H.C.

Curated by
Herasmo J. Hemingway

With original illustrations

and fine reproductions by
Mr. Julian D. Bilibinski

First Edition: 124 M.g.

Printed in: Chesterfield by-the-fire

Z
 Pictured Here:
Herasmo J. Hemingway.

My dearest reader,

My name is Herasmo J. Hemingway and I am an old After the war, I finally had a chance to travel. And
boggart. I say old because as I sit down to write this travel I did: I went far and fast, moved by the fire that
summary of the History of the House, too many old nips at the heels of people with more debts than friends.
memories come back to mind. I shared meals and drinks with more littlings than
A littling who’s lived as long as I have, who’s been to I can hope to remember today, and eagerly listened to
as many places and met as many famous and brilliant the story of their lives. And when I learned how to
and interesting little people as I have, cannot be any- read, I was shocked to find their names hadn’t made it
thing but old. into the history books. And neither had mine.

In my younger years I used to live from day to day. That is why I decided to write this book. I want to
Rarely thinking about tomorrow. I never looked back, take all my recollections and notes, all the stories and
and even if had, I would have seen only a jumble of transcripts I gathered through the years, and pass them
lines where now I can catch a glimpse of a design. on. My hope is, as old alliances falter and new enemies
Back then it was surely easier to be ignorant: I was tall draw near, as borders get blurred and the memory of
and strong, after all, and I had the beauty of youth on the past fades, this summary will inspire the younger
my side. I know it must be hard to believe. It’s even folk and help them learn from our mistakes.
hard to remember sometimes, especially since Mr.
Bilibinsky insists on painting me with such a moon You don’t have to believe everything I’m about to tell
face. Honestly, those cheeks are excessive! you. Please, doubt everything you read, as doubt is the
root of all knowledge. At the same time, whenever
As with many Boggarts of my generation, I was born these stories seem too impossible to believe, when you
outside the House. I made it in just in time to enjoy the find yourself wondering if maybe I’m just a tall bog-
last days of my late youth near the Steps of the Hearth. gart telling tall tales, rest assured that these stories go
Many of us had nothing but the clothes on our backs. way beyond my imagination. Everything I am about to
report in this book is very true. Apart, of course, from
And when you have nothing, and there’s a war, you what is not.
end up a soldier soon enough. So, I found myself at
the front one day, waiting to fight an enemy I didn’t
really know. Herasmo J. Hemingway

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 Household If you know of a Character whose life and deeds left a
mark on History, this is the book for you.
The book you are now reading is more than a treatise This is your first step on the path to becoming a
on history. household historian. Isn’t it exciting?
Household is the first Collaborative Universal
History Book. Yes, I am proud of it!

It’s a History Book because Household is, first and THE GAME IN A NU TSHELL
foremost, a retelling of the events that shaped the re- Gather your fellow historians around a nice large table.
cent history of the House. It has all the facts, the dates, Each of you will take on the role of a Character,
the names, and everything else you’d expect to find in stepping into their shoes much like an actor would, re-
that type of book. living their adventures, and learning more about them.

It’s Universal because, while many go on and on about One of you will be the Narrator, and they’ll be tasked
how “History is written by the winners”, that’s just not with setting the scene with Secondary Characters and
the case. History is written every day, by every single unraveling the tangle of events.
littling in every nation throughout the House. Each of The ideal Narrator is a historian graduated at the
us has a pivotal role to play. university of Clockminster or Astraviya, a littling who
spent their life studying and researching. If you don’t
It’s Collaborative because it is much different from have access to this ideal candidate, anyone among you
other books you may have encountered. Much differ- who is patient enough to read through this book will
ent indeed. be worthy of the title.
This book – and you’ll understand my pride in say-
ing this – was written to allow everyone a chance to Your collective goal is to play together and piece to-
tell the story, and even the Saga, of littlings who are gether the incredible adventures your Characters lived
largely or completely neglected by History. through in the House. Thanks to you, these Characters
will earn their eternal place in the History books.

WHERE HISTORY HAPPENS

The events of Volume I all take place inside the House.
I shall take you through the four household nations,
and their respective Rooms. Together, we will explore
the Ground Floor, the Basement, and even the Upper
Floor, trying not to omit anything. This will be a
journey.
From now on, to ease your way through this
book and its stories, there will also be illustra-
tions by Mr. Bilibinski, as well as replicas of art
pieces from some of the most beautiful cities of
the House, all reproduced in accordance with the
aesthetics and styles of their Folk.

Pictured Here:
Litha and Tubo ready for their next journey.
 WHEN HISTORY HAPPENS
The first Volume of Household is focused on a five-
year period that will later be known through History
as The Fragile Peace.
The idea
Everything you are about to read harks back to the I was spending an evening in a pub
events that happened between the years VI and X after in Downridge. A sluagh sitting on a
the institution of the High Council (H.C.). According table was telling about a battle. All
to the traditional calendar, this arc of time coincides the children were enraptured by his
with the years 97-101 with the Master gone (M.g.). story. They were also the only ones
who hadn’t heard it a thousand times
To make the experience more immersive, from now already.
on I will talk about the Folk, Nations, and Eminent
Characters as if we were still in that time, making no As the sluagh was describing the final
anticipations. assault, a young undine stood up and
If you want to brush up on the History of the stated that his father, a war hero, was
House, fear not. You can find everything in Section the littling who defeated the enemy
VII “Household History”. general. All those who believed him
were very impressed.
Z But there was an old boggart who
Characters live through History, wouldn’t stand for it. He said that his
and History lives eternal. brother, who would never lie to him,
had taken a bullet to save the life of
Wise Paracelsus that same general in that same battle.

Z Feeling tensions rise, the sluagh fished

out a die and suggested the two make
a wager, and they agreed.
The die and fate decided the un-
ARE YOU READY?
dine was right and, much to my sur-
My dear reader, I only met you a few pages ago, and
prise, the boggart took it rather well.
you’re already a budding historian. I am so proud of
After all, his brother had always been
you!
a crafty old littling!
I must admit, I am also somewhat envious of all
the stories you’ll live through and write, and of all the This is how my idea was born.
wonderful characters you will meet. I’ve had a good
A game made to reconstruct History,
life. I have also possibly seen more than my heart could
that also lets the dice fill in the doubts
take, but I wouldn’t hesitate to leave again, if I could.
that would otherwise remain un-
Who knows how many stories I haven’t heard yet.
known forever. Believe me, it works.

If you ever wish to share your discoveries with me, I’ll

be glad to read them. You can send me a letter at this
address:

Herasmo J. Hemingway
Bookshire Postal Office,
Hearth. House.

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 SLOWLY

Slowly walked a littling, A littling walked slowly

And slowly his snail kept pace Like a ship during the calm,
Through night’s dark embrace Searching winds like a balm
As the packs kept tinkling. Across the long hallway.

A littling slowly walked, Slowly walked a littling,

And heavy was the pack With his snail keeping pace,
He carried on his back Tired of night’s embrace
As through the night he stalked. Still sluggishly lingering.

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 I
Folk & Nations
o f fa e r i e s , b o g g a r t s , s p r i t e s , a n d s l u a g h

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 Origins of the Finally, those who had to abandon their ancient

Little Folk homeland, struck a deal with the Forces of Farbeyond,

and have only recently come back as the Sluagh.

Legends tell of an ancient time before time and of the Where legends end, oral tradition begins, telling us
Building of the House. In that time all the littlings of the years when each Little Folk lived in isolation,
lived together as equals, and they were called the Little almost forgetting the existence of the others.
Folk. History begins the day Big Ben Hearthworth, First
When the Building of the House was finally com- among Boggarts, learned of the Master’s disappearance.
pleted, all the members of the Little Folk gathered Soon after, the Little Folks would return to lay claim
to choose their fate. Some of them wanted to move to their native land.
on the Inside, while others much preferred life on the
Outside. Some of them had seen how Big the Master
was, and they wanted to serve him. Others feared him
and wanted to leave his place. SETTING
Days and nights past, but the Little Folk could not PRECONCEPTIONS ASIDE
find a solution to satisfy all the different wants. And so, You may have met some Faeries, seen your fair share
they took the difficult decision to split up. of Sluagh, and formed your opinions on them. Maybe
you have even developed preconceptions based on
Z those few individuals. An old proverb of the House
says “ab uno disces omnis” (“know one, know them
Trust a sprite if you pay them
all”) but nothing could be further from the truth.
A boggart if they give their word
A fairy if they sign their name I imagine the word Fairy is enough to have you pic-
And a sluagh when they say ture an uppish and frivolous littling, a courtier of good
“you should never trust me” stock, oblivious to the problems of the common folk.
Boggart probably brings to mind a tall mousehand,
Household Proverb a country chump who’s all brawn and no brain. If I
say Sprite, you think of a ruthless merchant, someone
Z who’ll always put money before everything else.And
what have you not heard about the Sluagh, subject of
The Little Folk scattered, each group struggling to many preconceptions and silly superstitions.
face dangers far bigger than themselves. In their des- And what to say of the nations? Everyone who’s
peration, they each turned to an Ancestral Force that born in the Realm is fussy and rich. Littlings hailing
could safeguard them and preserve their lines. from the Horde are so suspiciously different from the
“good folk” of the Ground Floor. Citizens of the Free
Those who secured a Contract with the Hearth and Dominions are self-righteous and never pick a side.
swore their fidelity to the Master, took the name of And those from the Hearth are just farmers, uncul-
Broonies, and went on to become the modern Boggarts. tured littlings full of superstitions.
Those who turned to the Stars and gained wings in
return, became the Fae, and we now call them Faeries. But History enthusiasts like us can’t have their judg-
Those who called onto the Household Forces and ment clouded by prejudice, that’s a thing for gossips
gained the lightness of the Draft, the brilliance of the and grumpy busybodies.
Spark, or the strength of the Drain, are now known as Set aside everything you think you know. What
Sprites. you’re about to learn might surprise you.

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Pictured Here:
A group of littlings
ready for adventure.
 Faeries

The Ancient Fae Folk, mostly known today as the by using inappropriately generic expressions such as
Fairy Folk, became part of the Household after the fall “blue eyes”, is considered disrespectful and could easily
of their ancestral home, the Dendronaos Tree. offend a fairy.
The facial features of Faeries are so perfect that lit-
Known to most for their beauty, grace, and exquisite tlings of other Folk sometimes have a hard time telling
proportions, Faeries are also characterized by charm- them apart. This is particularly true of the Sluagh who,
ing wings like those of a conceited dragonfly, made of a used to more extreme aesthetic differences, often say
shiny, see through membrane, that takes on many dif- that all Faeries look the same.
ferent shades. According to popular belief, the hue of
the wings goes hand in hand with the hair color of the Fairy blood is thick and somewhere between orange
fairy. It seems that black hair is often associated with and yellow in color, a feature that gained it the label of
green or bluish wings, while red or yellow wings are warm blood. In contrast, the adjective “cold blooded”
more common for Faeries with blond or coppery hair. is sometimes used by Faeries as a pejorative to refer to
But in all confidence, if you’ve ever been near Faeriyev and even insult other Folk.
you probably have met your fair share of exceptions to
this old superstition!

Faeries are usually slender and tall. Their skin is pro-

verbially radiant, free of imperfections, as soft and
smooth as refined spider silk.
Culture
Fairy culture celebrates and cultivates all that is pleas-
Faeries are also known for their icy, almost expression- ant, satisfying to the senses, and all around beautiful.
less eyes. To my knowledge there is no limitation to Among other Folk it is common to hear “they look like
the color of their irises. It’s not uncommon for fairy a fairy” to describe especially charming or beautiful
travel documents to use peculiar expressions such a individuals. As such, I think it fair to say that Faeries
“eyes like sunshine through molasses” or “silvery-teal represent the standard for all that is elegant and pleas-
iris”. Though this may seem funny, in Fairy culture it is ant in the Household. They are known to be polite
very important for the color of the eyes to be properly and generally welcoming, but do not expect warmth or
recognized and named. Likewise, to trivialize the topic friendliness in their homes, and don’t be offended by

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 this lack. Fae hospitality is very different from that of POPULATION
the other Folk, but just as sincere and authentic. According to the census gathered during year IIII from
the institution of the High Council, Faeries are less
You probably have heard Faeries described as arrogant, than a fourth of the total population of the Household.
superficial, and distant when it comes to relations with The data also reveal a young Folk, growing rapid-
strangers. This deeply-rooted prejudice was, in my ly after the great dip in numbers caused by the First
humble opinion, born of the imperialistic approach Household War. Figures show that Faeries are most
typical of the rule of the late Oberon Trismegistus. likely to choose a career in politics or in the military,
At the time, Fae culture tried to impose itself on all but also that among them were born some of the most
others. It is however true that Faeries have a very rigid famous members of the artistic, scientific, and cultural
etiquette system, a jungle of strict requirements and community of the House. The highest concentration
taboos that can prove extremely hard to navigate. of Faeries is found in the lands of the Realm and in
As such, it is safe to assume that most etiquette-sen- the Freedomes. Nevertheless some venture far enough
sitive Faeries are always somehow offended by a terri- to live among the Horde. Chief example: Xavian
ble faux pas we have involuntarily made while speaking Torqueda, aka “The Dark Fairy”, the only fairy to ever
with them. achieve the rank of Skullrider.

Pictured Here:
The Fairy Folk.

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 LANGUAGE the third or fourth floor, and had no stairs. If you want
The language spoken by Faeries, Fae, is unanimously to make an impression at your next parlor chat, try
considered the best for singing, and, according to one pointing out that the frontier post of La Ruelle is the
school of thought I don’t subscribe to, also the lan- only Fae settlement located on the Floor.
guage of poetry. The counterpart to this extraordinary Contract
Many common fairy names have roots in ancient handed down through generations is the binding of
Fae: good examples are male names like Hermes, the Name. Always remember that Faeries are bound
Zephyr, and Atlas, and female names like Asteria, to uphold all written agreements they undersign with
Daphne, and Kalypso. It’s also worth noting that the their name. Those who dare withdraw from a signed
most popular name among Faeries is Arcadia, a trib- agreement will face Terrible Terrible Things.
ute to their beloved Tsarina. Faeries who live in the We’ll talk more about this in Section V “Contracts”.
outskirts of the Realm, in the Blackshine region, or in
La Ruelle, use names such as Jean, Jacque, Jaqueline,
Mathieu, Michel, or Camille, and they often give two,
or even three names to their children. Pictured Here:
A fairy from the
In the Cupboard region, and in great Glasburg, one
Realm wearing
can easily stumble in more angular, harsh sounding bee fur.
names like Viktor, Lukas, Mila, Lena, Wolfgang, and
Katharyna.
Further toward the Great Window, the Table, and
the capital, Astraviya, the names sound more like
Andrej, Fyodor, Anastasiya, Dmitri, Yana, or Kseniya,
and they are often paired with a patronymic created
by apposing the suffix -ovich (or -evich) if the child is
male, and -ovna (or -evna) if the child is female, to their
father’s name. Eminent examples of this tradition are
the Duke of Faeriyev, Alexey Pukevich (son of Puck)
Stakan-Eudoxia, and the Tsarina Arcadia Oberonovna
(daughter of Oberon) Lightheart-Eudoxia.

Hereditary
Contract
Upon birth, all Faeries inherit the Contract that first
tied their ancestors to the Astral Forces and grants all
members of their Folk the title of Starchild.

By the power of this Contract, Faeries are born with

beautiful wings, which allow them to hover and even
fly. Obviously this has a great impact on the everyday
life of this Folk, to the point that, before the Fragile
Peace, many Fae homes had their entry hall placed on

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 Realm
Many years after the Master disappeared, Dendronaos
(the Temple Tree) fell, and the Faeries were forced to
undertake a massive exodus.
Tsar Oberon Trismegistus, whom some call dear de-
parted, led his Folk through the Great Window and to
the Dining Hall, where they founded the Realm.

The lands of the Realm include the Dining Hall and

the Kitchen, and they are mostly inhabited by Faeries.
The capital is Astraviya, the crystal city founded on
the Highlight Chandelier.

Z
The victorious eyes
Of the Fairy Folk
Brightly shine filled
With beautiful Starlight
Oberon Trismegistus
Z
It is organized as a hereditary monarchy, led by Tsarina
Arcadia Oberonovna, who also holds the prestigious
title of Ruling Empress of the Household.
The national emblem is the Eight-Pointed Star, the
same symbol that led Oberon to the location of his new
palace, according to tradition. On medals and ribbons,
the emblem is often accompanied by five smaller stars
Pictured Here:
representing the Tsarina and the four other members The Eight-Pointed Star,
of the imperial family. national emblem.
The national motto of the Realm is Custodire et
Capere (To Protect and Conquer), and it also appears
on the banner of the Golden Backs.
The National Bank of the Realm on Mount Guignol
mints plates and crystals with the profile of the Tsarina
on one side, and the eight-pointed star on the other.
The national language is Fae.

For decades, the Realm has been the core of the Fae
Empire and to this day, still plays a pivotal role in the from the horrors of the War. Nowadays, the Realm is
Household Empire. The imperialistic politics of late widely regarded as the cradle of classic culture, litera-
Oberon Trismegistus and the sensible leadership of his ture, and art.
daugher, Arcadia, kept most of the Realm safely away

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 CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS Realm thanks to the prestigious Glasburg Academy.
Littlings born in the Realm lead a peaceful life, far Alternatively, they can pursue a career in academia at
from most dangers. The nation’s pride, the Great one of the many prominent universities in Astraviya
Imperial Army, attend promptly to any sign of insect and Tournoire. On the other hand, girls are most often
invasions, and keep banditry in check. trained to value beauty, elegance, and courtesy above
all. They are taught that their highest aspiration in life
Members of the upper class and minor nobility can should be to marry up, gaining favor with this or that
all rely on a residence and a steady passive income, al- courtier, and elevating their families’ status.
lowing them to live comfortably among luxuries. But
even for these privileged few, life isn’t always made of Despite the absence of explicit rules forbidding women
honey-sugar. Each palace in the Realm is a maze of to hold even the highest cultural, political, or military
intrigues and social norms hard to understand. There, titles in the Realm, I feel compelled to denounce the
the choice of an appropriate dress, an expensive ac- fact that those titles are still mostly a male preroga-
cessory, an on-trend hairdo, and the knowledge of the tive. So much so, that many nobles of the court were
latest fashions are much more than simple trifles: they taken aback when young Arcadia Oberonovna was
are instrumental weapons, tools to ensure your survival. named Tsarina. Fortunately, thanks to the example of
their Tsarina, times in the Realm seem to be changing
Still, many less fortunate than them live in complete quickly and drastically. But in all confidence I can say
poverty, in the shadow of the Table or in dark Unter. that, even if Valentine Du Lampe was the first woman
The excesses of the nobility cause a steep disparity to be finally nominated Captain of the Golden Backs,
among social classes that weighs heavily on entire the court could hardly speak of anything else for the
towns where littlings are forced to live hand to mouth following months. And tones weren’t always as polite
on the very edge of legality, only dreaming of a better as one would hope.
life among the shiny walls of Highlight.

Setting the extremes aside, most subjects of the Realm

lead very decent lives, if often marred by a feeling of ARMED FORCES
dissatisfaction. The myth of life at court is ever-pres- The Royal Gendarmerie is the operational police force
ent in the minds of citizens: they dream of honors within the Realm. Gendarmes are identified by their
and riches, and end up valuing their career and social green blazers and the traditional pointy boots. They
standing above all else. tend to be duty-driven, following a code of conduct
that mandates a stern and detached attitude.

The Great Imperial Army is the main military body of

the Realm, historically known as an example of disci-
pline, competence, and order.
Following the Astraviya Treaty, as ordered by the
High Council, soldiers of this military patrol all ter-
ritories of the House, and act above other national
armies.

The elite corp of the Great Imperial Army are called

Families of the Realm usually impose a very strict ed- the Golden Backs, or “blond knights” (after the feath-
ucation on their children. Notably, etiquette is consid- ers on their helms). This contingent is entirely made
ered a cardinal subject of study. Boys are often brought up of Faeries who wear a prestigious armor made with
up for military life, one of the leading sectors of the the hard forewings of golden chafer beetles that allow

r 20 s
them to fly into battle. The leaders of this elite squad- work as laborers, waiters, and even bodyguards. I too
ron are the Captains of the Golden Backs. Among did, in my time. But in confidence, Astraviya is great to
them are the Dukes Victor Kuchenschrank Von visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there!
Glasburg, Alexei Puckevich Stakan-Eudoxia, Robin
Guillaume Fleurblanche, and the Imperial Grand
General Ludmillen Vonnhoimar-Eudoxia, Duke of
Lowlight. They are all of imperial blood.

MOVING TO THE REALM

Even those born outside of the Realm can find many
reasons to move there: Some may choose this nation
because they wish to live a better life, chasing a myth
that few, if any, have a chance to reach. There are many
novels, paintings, and songs centered on the unbeliev-
able marvels and beautiful sights of the Realm, and
just as many desperate or gullible littlings who believe
them.
Many move there lured by the illusionary promise of
wealth and the apparent political, cultural, and mili-
tary excellence of the Realm.

Sprites come from the Upper Floor to attend the

renowned universities, despite the fact that the
Freedomes have many just as good. Some older and
wealthier littlings choose to spend their retirement in
the Realm, buying properties, houses, and sometimes
royal titles.

Sluagh from the Basement face the grueling journey

across the Long Hallway in search of an easier life far
away from their overcrowded cities. Often mistrusted
because of old prejudices and bad blood, they have a
hard time integrating with the work force. Not even
the Imperial Edict “Brothers!” could change the pub-
lic opinion, and life for the Sluagh of the Realm is
often full of hardships. Despite the best efforts of the
Tsarina, many still harbor a thinly concealed disdain
for the Folk from Farbeyond, and only the wealthiest
sluagh, the ambassadors, and the scholars, have the
Pictured Here:
means to keep their families safe. A fairy from the
Realm shows off
Some young boggarts, bored by the monotony of the uniform of the
Great Imperial
country life, also move to the Realm seduced by the Army.
prospect of life in the great city. They can easily find

r 21 s
 Boggart

Boggarts were the first Little Folk to step into the Boggart eyes are small and expressive, they tend to be
House back when the Master and his Family still in- darker in color, but some are mint green, or lavender.
habited its Rooms. Any Boggart would consider themselves lucky to have
light eyes, as they are widely regarded as a sign of
Oral tradition tells us about a time when the first beauty.
Boggarts, who back then still went by their ancient
name of Brownies, faithfully served the Master. Their If you’ve ever met a boggart, you probably thought
duties were keeping the House clear of insects and they were tall. It is common knowledge that most of
protecting the Family. In exchange for their service, them stand well above the average littling. If you ever
the Master granted them shelter and allowed them to go for a stroll in Wallford or near the Fireplace, you’re
enjoy the warmth of the Hearth. likely to feel tiny as you are surrounded by strapping
littlings standing a full head above others.
Boggarts are generally tall, sturdy, and burly in build.
Their features are kind, but somewhat angular, their The natural prowess of this Folk fostered the creation
jaws wide and squared, their foreheads tall, and their of an army that has repeadedly been described as “un-
noses flat. stoppable”, which is in turn why there have been sev-
Boggart hair is usually thick and strong, colored in eral points in History when Boggarts played a crucial
rich earthy tones like black, chestnut brown, rarely role in conflicts.
veering to honey blond.
Their reputation as fearsome fighters is something of a
Women usually don’t wear any make-up, and while household legend, to the point that nobles and wealthy
girls keep their hair long and untied, up-dos are com- merchants of all Folks and nations seek out Boggarts
mon for older women. to employ as their personal guards.
Men prefer simple hairstyles, and some need to shave The flipside of this, however, is a reputation as quar-
up to twice a day to keep the stubble at bay. As such, relsome and high-strung people who prefer to solve
beards and thick sideburns are very common: they can their problems with brute force rather than reason.
be worn either shaggy or combed , and are rarely styled Once again, I must denounce these allegations as base-
in any elaborate shape. less and false.

r 22 s
 Culture
Boggart culture doesn’t care much for the for-
malities and strict rules of life at court, much
preferring simple and genuine honesty. As a rule,
Boggarts believe actions speak louder than words,
and are generally regarded as tireless people.
With their practical, terse disposition Boggarts
are always ready to roll up their sleeves and face
all situations or problems head on.

Anything a boggart can’t solve with toil and sweat,

they can certainly solve over a meal of chestnut cake
and a good mushroom beer. Afterall, the common
Household expression “like a boggart”, used to de-
scribe people who work without pause or stuff their
face with food, did not stem from nothing.

Common perception sees the Boggarts as inextricably

tied to the Master. Their faith in the Master’s return is
often quoted throughout Household literature, either
with respect or in a mocking tone. While clearly not
shared by all individuals, this trait is extremely wide-
spread throughout the Folk. As such, and to avoid
regrettable incidents, you should avoid openly disre-
specting the Master and his memory when a boggart
is present. It’s just common sense.
Pictured Here:
The unconditional love people from this Folk feel The Boggart Folk
for the Master is so deeply rooted that they devote
to him the most important holiday of the year: the
Imbolc festival. For this occasion, Boggart families
usually gather at Cinderhall, where they offer tributes Their slim numbers grant Boggarts the not-so-cov-
to the Household Fire and sing songs to bring about eted title of least populous Folk of the House. Data
the return of the Master. One can surmise, that the tell us of a tenacious group of littlings that managed
fact most boggarts try to keep the House in its original to stick together through adversities and disasters such
state and fiercely oppose urbanization stems, some- as the Battle of the Great Stairs (sometimes called the
times subconsciously, from this faith. Massacre of the Great Stairs, or the Great Betrayal),
and the subsequent exodus in the deadly Outside
Lands, as well as the First Household War.

POPULATION Figures show that most Boggarts work as either

According to the census gathered during year IIII hunters or farmers, tending to land and livestock.
from the institution of the High Council, Boggarts Additionally, many young boggarts find in military
are around one tenth of the total population of the life an opportunity to gain enough money to move
Household, with a higher concentration in the Living away from their family as well as a chance to travel
Room and Stairside regions. the House.

r 23 s
 Against common belief, there have also been bril- LANGUAGE
liant scholars born to this Folk, such as Professor Brian Boggarts speak Hearthish, a simple and direct lan-
O’Brian, who now sits at the prestigious Symposium guage much like the Folk who created it.
of the Free Dominions. Another name some would
like to see me quote here, among renowned boggart Among all languages of the House, Hearthish is the
scholars is my own, but the author’s modesty forces me one closest to Housian. This feature caused many
to decline. scholars to put forward the hypothesis that the two
languages must share a common ancestor: the Master’s
own language.

Examples of typical Boggart names are Benjamin,

William, Samuel, John, Jack, Thomas for males, and
Martha, Mary, Emily, Sophia, Elizabeth or Scarlet for
females. Still, many a mother have been fascinated by
exotic sounding names and chosen to call their chil-
dren something like Herasmo, just as mine did.

Hereditary
Contract
Pictured Here:
A boggart Upon birth, all Boggarts inherit the Contract first
shroomcutter. established between the ancient Brownies and the
Household Fire. All littlings of this Folk can proudly
say they’re Dear to the Hearth.

The Contract grants all Boggarts the unparalleled

strength typical of their Folk, as well as the ability to
focus it, growing up to twice their size for short periods.
This practice is commonly known as going
Juggernaut, and there’s an interesting anecdote about
that nickname. But it’ll have to wait.

The counterpart to this agreement is that all Boggarts

are bound by their Word of Honor. No littling of this
Folk can ever withdraw from a commitment or prom-
ise after giving their word, lest they incur Terrible
Terrible Things. We’ll talk more about this in
Section V “Contracts”.

r 24 s
 The Hearth
Before it ever became a nation, the Hearth was the
collective name for all Boggarts who proudly served
the Master in exchange for a place in the House.
After his disappearance, the Boggart leader Benjamin
Hearthworth, the same “Big Ben” featured in many
stories, established the Hearth as a nation with the aim
of keeping the House safe until the Master’s return.

The Hearth territories extend from the Living Room

to most of Stairside and are mainly inhabited by
Boggarts.
The official capital is Wallford, the Burrow. Despite
that, many see the city of Cinderhall, located inside
the Fireplace, as the core of the nation, as it has great
historical and spiritual significance for the Folk as a
whole.

The Hearth is a republic with strong military founda-

tions. That being said, Boggarts love and respect the
Hearthworth family so much, that the power has ipso
facto been handed down Big Ben’s line from father to
son. Currently, the Governor and Grand General of
the Hearth is William “Bravespine” Hearthworth Jr.
The young fellow also has been granted a seat on the
High Council under the title of Hearthkeeper. Pictured Here:
The national emblem
of the Hearth.
The national emblem is the Flame of the Fireplace,
representing the familial bond with the Master.
Depicted beneath this emblem, you will often find
Z
“Never lose heart and
crossed scissors much like the ones used on military
uniforms and tabs. These represent the honor and mil- Never forget the hearth.
itary strength of the nation. For the Master is Big
The official national motto is Keep the Flame And these are such small matters.”
Burning! . In all confidence, however, I can say that
while lacking official recognition, the words dear to Benjamin “Big Ben” Hearthworth
Bravespine “For the Master is Big, and these are such
small matters” are widely used even by authorities.
The National Hearth Bank in Bookshire mints
Z
The Hearth is a generally peaceful nation, character-
plates with Bravespine’s profile on one side, and the ized by wide rolling plains and the extensive Pinewood
Hearth emblem on the other, while crystals show the forest. Settlements are few in number and scarcely
crossed scissors on one side. The national language is populated, fully respecting Boggart tradition.
Hearthish. True bucolic oases where one can savor the simple
pleasures of life.

r 25 s
 CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS In recent years, the growing demand and tireless efforts
Littlings born in the Hearth live surrounded by the of scholars ensured a rapid growth for the University
natural Household environment, with strong ties to of Chesterfield by-the-fire. Here, promising young
their traditions and main yearly festivals. Since they minds can enroll in a reputable faculty to begin or end
have little economic power and aren’t willing to let for- their studies and learn how to make the Hearth proud.
eigners or industries into their land, they get by only
on what the House offers.
Waking up early to bask in the first light seeping in
through the Cracked Window is a common habit for ARMED FORCES
many, but also a necessity. The Hearth’s Army is the only military force in the
nation. They take care both of keeping the peace in
Hearthish people aren’t exceedingly rich or poor. The small towns, as well as patrolling the streets and safe-
most fortunate belong to important families who own guarding the borders.
large plots of land and maybe some herds of mice.
These littling are widely regarded as a good catch on Soldiers in charge of fighting crime in urban settings
the marriage scene, provided they are also hardwork- can be recognized by their pale blue uniforms. They
ing, good people one can rely on. are organized under the command of sheriffs, each
As much as it pains me to admit it, littlings from responsible for maintaining the order of one county.
the Hearth pay an awful lot of attention to people’s
reputation. It’s surprisingly easy to make a bad name Army soldiers and officials work side by side with army
for yourself, be it deserved or not, and terribly difficult hunters to protect the land and train new recruits.
to get rid of it. I would know! Their uniforms are blue, and their hats become more
or less flashy depending on the rank.
Families in the Hearth have a strict patriarchal struc-
ture, even though it is widely known that mothers,
wives, and grandmothers are the ones who take care
of childrearing and household management. Boggart
men are known to be rough around the edges, but
gallant. They speak to women with respect, sometimes
peppering in sweet comments. In most other things
men and women are seen almost as equals.
In confidence, however, I must admit that around here
a boy who loves baking or fashion is mocked more than
any girl who chooses to serve in the military. The elite corps of the Hearth isn’t included among
regular army battalions but has nevertheless played
Youngsters of the Hearth are often introduced to a key role in the resolution of the harshest conflicts.
hunting by their parents. There is something of a myth Despite their dwindling numbers, the Knights of the
surrounding hunters here, they represent adventure Cinder Order from Cinderhall are both majestic and
and danger, everything people in the peaceful towns lethal. Among the honored few to wear the cinder ar-
have never seen. Many try their hand at this profession, mor, I’d like to remember the Grim Knight, Edward
but few manage to make it into a long-term career. Ashworth and, although he bears the title only as an
Fewer still make a name for themselves and cover honorary member, Bravespine himself.
inns in their trophies. Those who do become veritable
heroes for the people, characters for songs and roman-
tic fantasies.

r 26 s
 MOVING TO To this day, a remarkable percentage of the Hearth’s
THE HEARTH Army is made up of respectable sluagh who care
People born elsewhere in the Household have at least strongly for local culture and tradition.
three good reasons to move to the Hearth: good food,
warm hospitality, and good food!

Hearthish hospitality is proverbially famous and it’s

far too easy to fall victim to the care of this or that Pictured Here:
grandmother and their endless, delicious lunches. Add A young boggart
to this the timeless charm of bucolic life and the love woman with a leaf
bonnet.
for all the simple pleasures in life, and you can easily
understand why many choose this as the nation to raise
their family in.

Not all that glitters is gold, and while welcomed with

open arms as guests, foreigners seldom feel the same
warmth when they become neighbors. And so, way
too often newcomers become the victims of baseless
rumors and small-minded prejudice.

Sprites may be especially intrigued by the possibility to

buy large plots of land for cheap. Those who succeed
in this endeavor won’t necessarily be lucky enough to
integrate into the local community. But after fighting
through the mistrust, many sprites manage to become
veritable cornerstones of their communities. For exam-
ple, Professor Noam Flanagan, a salamander, is both
the Mayor of Chesterfield by-the-fire and Dean of the
local University.

Faeries who choose to move to the Hearth often do

so to escape from poverty, or because they agree with
this nation’s conservative approach. In the past, some
fae families chose to join the Hearth and abandon the
Realm as an act of rebellion to make a stand against
the imperialist politics of Oberon Trismegistus.

Decades ago, the Horde Army repeatedly invaded the

Living Room to plunder and sack their riches. To this
day, Hearthish people make no mystery of their dis-
trust for the Sluagh when they see them in their land.
Despite that, a surprisingly high number of sluagh
families abandoned the rows of the Horde to join the
Hearth even back during the First Household War.

r 27 s
 Sprites

The Sprite Folk has been living in the House since SYLPHS
a time before memory, even before the Master disap- Out of the Draft came the Sylphs, who stand out
peared. To this day, there are many theories on the birth among other sprites because of their thin, hollow bones
of Sprites, and past years have seen a heated debate on and proverbial lightness. They are generally very tall,
whether Sprites or Boggarts were the first Folk to ever although with the expected exceptions, and remarkably
enter the Household. Nowadays most people agree, slim. Slanderous gossips also maintain that this phys-
though with some irony, that Sprites walked through icality means Sylphs all-around make for suspiciously
the Threshold the day after the first Boggart. good robbers and thieves.
Their hair is puffy and voluminous, a great source of
Sprites are largely regarded and regard themselves as pride for many women. Men grow no beard and prefer
one Folk, however it is both clear and traditionally keeping their hair tied in braids or buns, with some
recognized by their culture, that they are divided in even choosing to shave completely.
three distinct groups. These are Sylphs, Undines, and
Salamanders. Before I go on to analyze the differences Sylph blood is blue-green in color, a hue that perme-
that solidified this separation in the minds of scholars, ates in varying degrees through their pale skin influ-
I think it proper to first underline the great similarities encing the tone of it. The littlings Out of the Draft are
that make a single Folk of these three groups. believed to be sensitive souls with great social skills,
but often lazy and forgetful. It is annoyingly common
All Sprites share an ancestral bond with one of the for people to call someone “a Sylph” as a synonym of
Household Forces, be it Water, Air, or Fire. Through airhead. The Master of Ceremonies at the Imperial
decades, this bond left a clear mark on the physical Court of Highlight in Astraviya, Sylph Saoirse
appearance of Sprites. But despite their visual differ- Windsor, would staunchly disagree.
ences, Sprites share a common culture and medical
literature. They all follow the same customs, share
gastronomic traditions, and celebrate the festivities
in either identical or inextricably interwoven ways. UNDINES
Their shared cultural heritage has been regarded as far Out of the Drain rose the Undines, who, in contrast,
more important than the different hues of their skins are usually short and stout, with shiny bulging mus-
throughout history. At least by wiser littlings. cles due to their natural water retention. The bowed
posture of their backs does no favor to their already

r 28 s
short stature, giving way to the cliché that
undines should be measured by width rather
than height. Many undines have thin light
hair that according to some, looks like foam-
ing water, but a few grow black hair with greenish or
bluish tints. Men usually boast wide beards, imposing
sideburns, or a twirling mustache.

Their blood and skin are usually dull blue in color.

Many Undine families settled near the Tub and have
been working there for generations as carpenters and
laborers. They are the main reason people believe
Undines to be practical, industrious people. Indeed,
you may have heard that Undines sometimes mistake
bluntness for sincerity, that they’re gruff, curt people
who never put off until tomorrow what they could do
today. A prominent example of this cliché is Professor
Werner Reinhardt, esteemed Rector of both the
Symposium and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
at the Tuberdam University.

SALAMANDERS
Out of the Spark, Salamanders were born. They stand
out among other sprites because of the warm tones
of their skin and hair. Their eyes are deep and bright,
considered by many as a sign of intelligence and charm.

In common perception, all Salamanders wear glasses.

This is more than just prejudice, you see, as
these littlings are statistically prone to developing
nearsightedness. As a consequence of this tendency,
they also developed a fascination with the accessory
which means that many Salamanders wear
glasses with showy frames, whether they
need them or not. As you certainly know,
many famous Salamanders are scientists
and politicians, and this group is on average
less prone to the military life. Perhaps because
of their delicate frames.
There are, however, several exceptions, as I’m sure
you also know in full detail the great deeds of Lazarus
Malachiorre, also known as the Smiling Salamander,
who has well earned his fame as the most lethal
gunslinger in the House.

Pictured Here:
The Sprite Folk r 29 s
 POPULATION According to figures, by far the vast majority of Sprites
According to the census gathered during year IIII hold a career somewhat related to commerce. More
from the institution of the High Council, Sprites than half of the families from this Folk own a business.
are more than a fourth of the total population of the
Household, and curiously, the number of Undines,
Sylphs, and Salamanders is almost identical. Despite
the data showing how Sprites are mostly concentrated LANGUAGE
in the Bathroom and Master Bedroom, I have to un- Sprites speak Sprigaelic, often in one of its many dia-
derline how widely this Folk has spread through all lects of various difficulties. Examples of typical Sprite
other nations. names are Aiden, Leroy, Ennis, Sean, Ronan, or Keith
for males, and Avril, Caitlin, Eithne, Nara, Aisling,
Sinéad, or Fiona for females. However, it is exceeding-
ly common to meet sprites with names of all origins,
given the variegated mix of people one can meet in the
Freedomes and the influence multiculturalism has in
their nation.

Hereditary
Pictured Here:
Contract
A sylph man
playing flute while Upon birth, all Sprites inherit a Contract that first tied
a salamander their ancestors to the Household Forces.
woman studies a
Each Sylph knows they came Out of the Draft and
mushroom.
is granted by their bond to Household Air both the
lightness of their Folk, and the gift of Bloating.
Each Undine knows they came Out of the Drain
and is granted by their bond to Household Water
both the heftiness of their Folk, and the gift of Water
Retention.
Each Salamander knows they came Out of the
Spark and is granted by their bond to Household Fire
both the promptness of their Folk, and the gift of
Enlightenment.

The counterpart is identical for all Sprites, who are

bound by the Coin accepted as payment. All littlings of
this Folk have to stay true to any written or oral agree-
ment in which, after regular and free negotiation, they
accept any sum of money in exchange of services. If
they ever fail to comply, they face Terrible Terrible
Things.
We’ll talk more about this in Section V “Contracts”.

r 30 s
 Free Dominions
Since the agreement with then Emperor of the House
Oberon Trismegistus, whom some call dearly depart-
ed, Sprites have full control over the Upper Floor.
There, they founded the Free Dominions on the
ideal of equality among all Folks.

Known to many also as “the Freedomes”, this is a

confederation which includes the lands of the Master
Bedroom, the Bathroom, and the Smaller Bedroom.
The capital is Beddingham, universally famous for its
sprawling market, but Tuberdam is the hub of political
life.

Z
United we advance!
Dr. Werner Reinhardt
Z
The Free Dominions are ruled by a small circle of schol-
ars known as the Symposium. The esteemed Rector
of the Symposium is Professor Werner Reinhardt, a
brilliant Undine who takes on the mantle of primus
inter pares.
Despite having stepped down long ago from his seat
at the Symposium, Wise Paracelsus still holds the title Pictured Here:
of Spokesperson of the Free Dominions as represen- The three keys, emblem of
the Free Dominions.
tative of Sprites in the High Council, and remains an
invaluable anchor for the nation.

The national emblem depicts three crossed keys sym-

bolizing Sylphs, Salamanders, and Undines. CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
The national motto of the Freedomes, as carved on Littlings born in the Free Dominions live relatively
the table at the Symposium, is “E Pluribus Unum” far from the political tension and prejudice typical of
(Out of Many, One). more closed-off cultures. Strolling down any street in
a city or town of the Freedomes, you will see people of
The Household Central Bank of the Free Dominions all Folks walking side by side. Everyone is free to ex-
in Rosevault mints plates and crystals with the nation- press their opinion and culture, so long as they respect
al emblem and motto on one side and various mush- others.
rooms or Paracelsus' profile on the other. This open-mindedness caused many waves of immi-
It is also the place where most of the banknotes of gration into the nation and helped the development of
the House are printed. an unparalleled industrial sector.
The national language is Sprigaelic.

r 31 s
Middle-class families bring up their children to take themselves and lead a different life from what their
over the family business, accumulating even more family business can offer.
assets. Young littlings face ruthless competition to Citizens of the Freedomes usually attend one of the
snatch one of the few spots in the exclusive and ex- many different performances that pepper the streets
pensive colleges. of Beddingham at least once a week. These are nice
The Free University of Clockminster, the University occasions to take one’s mind off of work problems and,
of Bedside in Beddingham, and the Tuberdam most importantly, the best place to find new friends.
University are only some of the most sought-after ac-
ademic establishments in the Freedomes. Universities
look at each other with such a healthy level of rivalry
that many alumni still wear the symbols and colors of
their university and loudly disagree on which one is
the best.
Pictured Here:
An undine woman at work.
The great markets and commercial nodes of the nation
create many job opportunities. As a result, the vast
majority of the population either owns a business of
some kind, found employment as a worker in one of
the many harbors of the Bathroom, or
manages convoys that transport lit-
tlings and goods throughout the House.
All this and still the number of unem-
ployed keeps growing. The industries have a
hard time keeping up with the increasing demand be-
cause of the restrictive Regulation Plan signed during
the Astraviya Treaty, which almost completely forbids
the building of new infrastructures.
In response to the lack of job opportunities, many
have begun accepting well-paying contracts as trans-
lators, tutors, caretakers, or personal assistants in the
homes of ambassadors from other nations. Wealthy
Faeries are especially keen to place the upbringing of
their children and managing of their mansions into the
hands of bright and cultured sprites with great practi-
cal sense.

The cultural melting pot of the Free Dominions

encouraged the birth of many revolutionary artistic
movements. Most notable creators of literature, visual
arts, music, and theater began their careers here in the
Freedomes, and went on to become an example for
many young littlings who wish to make a name for

r 32 s
 ARMED FORCES MOVING TO
The great port on the Tub, the markets of Beddingham, THE FREEDOMES
and the mines and mint of Rosevault can’t help but Not so long ago, people moved to the Upper Floor to
attract the worst kind of attention. look for easy career opportunities and new, glamorous
To fight both petty and organized crime in the na- endeavors. Many say that that time is now long gone,
tion, the Symposium deploys a large force. but still wave after wave of littlings choose to move to
the Freedomes.
The red-and-white uniforms of the Gendarmerie
have become a symbol of the inflexibility of the Free The liberal views of the Symposium and lack of laws
Dominions, a nation that is just as accommodating on extradition also favor the immigration of criminals
with honest citizens as it is strict with those who break of all sorts. But one should also never forget that the
the law. Court of the Free Dominions can conduct trials for
Many important detectives also serve as part of this crimes committed outside of the national borders if
force, and their deeds have often fascinated people they deem it necessary.
throughout the House.
With the Freedomes, Faeries have met a worthy op-
There are other important military institutions, such ponent or, according to others, an heir to their much
as the Edge Guard, that controls the loading and un- celebrated scientific and artistic culture. Many find
loading of goods in the Tub, and the Frontier Guard spending time on the Upper Floor, either studying or
at Topridge. on vacation, invigorating, and some even end up em-
bracing the political ideals of the Symposium.

Sluagh easily find their place in the Freedomes, as they

are much more welcome here than in any other nation
of the Ground Floor, and locals find Sluagh culture
extremely fascinating.
Growing numbers of sluagh open small shops or
restaurants, while many others put their knowledge
of slugan language and manners at the service of rich
merchants, who in turn strengthen commercial ties
The main military of the Freedomes is the Porcelain with the Horde.
Army, whose enameled armor comes straight from the
renowned mine of the Great Bowl. In the army, as in Boggarts can boast a fair presence in the Free
all other institution, genders are seen as strictly equal. Dominions too. They mostly take advantage of their
Folk’s reputation to find jobs as rangers or farmers, but
The special corps are called the Porcelain Infantry, a there are also some who make the most of their size to
handful of strong and highly trained Undine soldiers. work as laborers in Tuberdam harbor, or as guards for
To this day, with the help of the tireless endurance of trading convoys.
their Infantry, the Porcelain Army has never been de-
feated in a siege.
Among their ranks, I cannot fail to mention Fenella
Ramsey, aka “the Tuberdam Dollar”. She has proven
her valor in the Battle of Quillwaters and has since
been granted the honorary title of Household Knight.

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 Sluagh

The Sluagh Folk arrived in the House many years after But inside, all Sluagh are the same. They indeed all
the Master’s disappearance. Treaties tell us that they have the same black, tacky blood flowing through the
came from a place so far that nobody even remembers veins, a peculiarity that makes them extremely resis-
it, and they call it Farbeyond. tant, if not even immune, to most known poisons and
The day the Sluagh entered the House is known as illnesses.
Samhain, but some traditions also refer to it as “the Their dark blood has sadly also been interpreted by
Wild Hunt”. many busybodies as a sign of evil character. In some
As we all know, the first period of coexistence be- areas, less cultured people still use this Folk as the evil
tween the Sluagh and the other Household Folks was character of stories, a threat to scare children into good
less than peaceful, and to this day, the many prejudices, behavior because “Sluagh will come and get you”. This
rumors, and falsehoods against the Sluagh are proving reproachable habit goes on to fuel tensions
hard to eradicate. among Folks and is an indecorous
hurdle to Sluagh integration even
It is hard to define what Sluagh are, as possibly their amongst new generations.
main trait is their heterogeneity.
A sluagh could be half as tall as a fairy, while the
next could be even taller than a boggart. Their skin
can go from ghostly white to shiny black, and spans
many hues of green, brown, purple, and red. As a rule,
the Sluagh have long pointy ears that can either stand
straight and rigid or droop downward, and dark eyes
that are either extremely small or way too large for
their face.
The one thing one should never expect in a sluagh's
appearance is moderation. Very rarely, littlings from
this Folk adhere to common proportions and stan-
dards of beauty.

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 Culture But there is one thing that most Sluagh cultures share,
and that is a great respect for tradition. Many homes
Sluagh culture is extremely complex and different from and towns are still decorated with statues or images
that of other Folks, which has caused many misunder- of various idols of their ancient cults from Farbeyond.
standings and diplomatic incidents throughout History. A vast majority of sluagh still feel a very strong bond
I even find it hard to give you an overall picture of this with the teachings of these golden figures, usually
Folk, as its endless subcultures each have a myriad of represented as beasts or monsters like the Spider, the
rules, a myriad of customs, and a myriad different tradi- Scorpion, and even the mythical Snake.
tions in regards to food, language, and arts.
Sluagh from the Kashab are expert travelers of the
Sawdust Waste, nomads hardened by the False Fire
and staunch keepers of some of the most ancient tra- POPULATION
ditions in the Household. Viletians, who live in the Sluagh are an extremely populous Folk and, accord-
shade of the Pinwheel, are passionate littlings who ing to the census gathered during year IIII from the
love food, music, and good company. Near La Escalera, institution of the High Council, they make up about
the Sluagh know the best way to welcome travelers half the population of the House If you ever visit the
with warmth, and they know how to charm them with Rusted City, you’ll understand how the overpopulation
Ratadores. In Al Sehir, on the other hand, they gather causes widespread poverty, which in turn pushes many
around the Great Blade with their bazaars filled with sluagh to migrate in search of better fortune, or to take
marvels, busy as bumblebees. on dangerous jobs that promise high pay.

Pictured Here:
The Sluagh Folk

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Figures show that most sluagh are employed in war-re- LANGUAGE
lated sectors, in entertainment, and in commerce. They Most people of this Folk speak Slugan, a language
are widespread throughout all Household territories, with more than 100 dialects that sometimes share so
but still mostly concentrated in the Basement, beneath little with one another to appear as completely differ-
the Quivering Stairs. ent languages.

Typical names among the Sluagh of the Desert and of

Pictured Here: Al Sehir are Ahmet, Mustafa, Yusuf, and Sukru for men
A sluagh wearing
traditional Horde and Damla, Kadri, Rahsheda, and Beste for women.
clothing. Near Viletia and along the Mirandola Gulf, you’ll find
men with names like Alessandro, Bassanio, Lorenzo,
and Cesare, and women called Agata, Lucrezia, Aurora
or Sofia. Traveling toward the Quivering Stairs and
Paso de Umbral, common names sound more like
Miguel, Fernando, Diego and Alejandro for males and
Isabella, Luciana, Ximena and Miranda for females.
But in confidence, this Folk is so widely spread
throughout the House, that I’ve met many a slu-
agh with names or surnames assimilated from other
Folks. A well-known example is the Marshal of Port
Authority in Tuberdam: Cesàr De la Cuve.

Hereditary
Contract
Upon birth, all Sluagh inherit a Contract signed in
times before memory with a great and ancient name-
less Force. In virtue of this deal, each of them received
the strength to survive and prosper in Farbeyond. In
exchange, they had to forfeit all chances to leave their
scores unsettled.
Still today all Sluagh are known to be Revenant
from Farbeyond in memory of the long journey that
led them back into the House. By the power of this
Contract, the Sluagh have become Unbleeding and
gained the extraordinary ability to heal even mortal
wounds. This gift made them fearsome warriors during
the First Household War.
The counterpart of their Contract is Debt. All
Sluagh must honor any debt incurred after losing a bet
if they wish to avoid Terrible Terrible Things.
We’ll talk more about this in Section V “Contracts”.

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 Horde
Decades after the Master’s disappearance, on the first
night of Samhain, the 27 Sluagh tribes reached the
House.
It took a long time before Kubalai Khan managed
to unite them all under the same flag, founding the
Horde of the Great Blade.

The Horde lands, mainly inhabited by the Sluagh,

span from the Quivering Stairs through the en-
tire Basement and they’re also known as the Lower
Dominions, or Housebelow.
The capital is Al Sehir, the Rusted City, which is
also the most populated city of the Household.

The Horde is a khanate ruled by Khan Vilenero

Arsenio Voltoio Rodomonte. The mysterious sluagh
known to many as Capitano Rodomonte, goes down
in history as the littling who put an end to the First
Household War, and thus earned his seat on the High
Council. The national emblem is the serrated circular
blade, a stylized representation of the Great Blade
that dominates the capital. On banners, and especial-
ly in times of war, the blade is usually flanked by a
peculiar horned skull, the insignia of the Skullriders. Pictured Here:
The serrated blade,

Z emblem of the Horde.

They call us savages

Yet they’ve never seen Still, you will probably find coins from all nations are
The red spires of Al Sehir widely used in the nation, with some old plates with
The pure white silk of Samaraknid the worn-out profile of the late Kubalai Khan still ap-
Nor the green water in Viletia pearing here and there.
The national language is Slugan.
Reflecting the light of the Sunset
The Horde lands lie beyond the Long Hallway and are
Laio the Handsome as such far from all other nations. The rapidly growing
Z numbers of the population, the many riches accumu-
lated, and the long period of peace, have made those
The national motto is Al majd lil Minshaar! Al majd territories extremely fascinating for both tourists and
lil Khaan! (Glory to the Great Blade! Glory to the new investors.
Khan!). The Khan Treasury in Al Sehir mints plates Nowadays, most handcrafted products and natural
with the circular blade on one side, and a spiderweb on or mined materials come from the Horde, and people
the other to circulate in the Horde. of all places are beginning to admire their artistic and
cultural heritage.

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 CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS up the roiling dunes of the Sawdust Desert, traveled
Horde culture is an extremely complex web made up through and safeguarded by nomads riding on lizards.
of the not-necessarily-easy interweaving of many an- The sluagh of the Kashab are the last defenders of one
cient traditions. The provinces of the Basement have of the most mysterious and savage places in the House,
so many different dialects, customs, and traditions that and the deep roots of their ancient traditions reach all
it’s sometimes hard to remember them all. the way to Farbeyond.
It is generally correct to say that the further you get
from the Quivering Stairs and toward Al Sehir, and To conclude with an interesting anecdote, some of
then from the capital to the depths of the Sawdust you may not know that there are some cultures in the
Waste, the more you can expect to meet one-of-a- Horde, like Viletian culture, where cowardice is re-
kind cultures that get further from those of the garded as a positive trait, a virtue even. Scholars have
Ground Floor. long discussed the implications of this ideal, but I pre-
fer to think of it in the words of a dear sluagh friend of
Littlings lucky enough to be born to rich and even mine. She used to say “Any littling can fight to defend
noble families will spend their childhood surrounded their honor, that is nothing but vanity. Being a coward
by gold in some of the most splendid courts in the means you put your own pride aside and choose to fo-
House. The children of Dons in Umbral, of Patricians cus on what really matters”.
on the Puddle, or of Sheiks in the Rusted City, are all
equally educated and respected by many tutors, poets,
courtiers, and House-class sages. They have everything
they may wish for within easy reach, except, maybe, ARMED FORCES
a life without social expectations, rigid traditions, and In the larger cities, littlings of the Militia take on the
extremely imposing relatives. mantle of police and try to keep or restore order with
various degrees of success. These groups, usually char-
In poorer families, children must choose between acterized by mustard-colored uniforms, take on many
learning what their parents know and inheriting their shapes and names depending on the province, and
trade or leaving the home to seek their own fortune answer directly to local nobles.
alone. The main military power is the Horde Army, with
its soldiers patrolling urban settlements as well as
As such, many young sluagh end up enrolling in beaten tracks and wilder regions.
the Horde Army or fighting in the ratador arena in
Umbral. Sadly, both of those careers are rarely compat- The elite soldiers of the Horde Army are called
ible with a the wish to live into one’s older age. Janissaries. These fearsome littlings can be recognized
The great cities like Al Sehir, Utu Dasewer, and the by their rusty armors and the monstrous masks they
Umbral frontier are horribly overpopulated. There, wear in battle.
crime is practically a daily occurrence, to the point that
the capital had to institute the Law of Dawn: every The commanders of the Horde Army are the 27
day, all but the most serious of unsolved crimes, are Skullriders, symbolic heirs to the first tribes. Among
automatically pardoned. In recent times, the Caliph them are Capitano Rodomonte himself; the Caliph of
Laio the Handsome has deployed a vast number of Al Sehir, Laio the Handsome; Verana of Viletia; the
Janissaries with the sole duty to patrol the capital. A Emir of Janissaries, Vaqaärd; and the champion of
certainly laudable effort, that sadly managed to put Penjara, Besan Tuan aka “the Immeasurable Bastion”.
only a dent in crime rates.

The situation changes drastically when you get closer

to the Furnace. From there, an eternal Sunset heats

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 MOVING TO THE HORDE Recently, many boggarts were called to Al Sehir to
Littlings born outside of Horde land can’t help but share their vast knowledge in animal care, and some of
be fascinated by the exotic wonders of the Basement. them even have been granted the honor to tend to the
After overcoming their initial prejudices, foreigners spiders in Samaraknid.
often end up enamored with the warm, welcoming
atmosphere.
The strong flavors, the ancient traditions, the riveting
Pictured Here:
dances, and colorful clothes will certainly gain the A sluagh with
attention, if not the love, of littlings used to the more her spinning top.
modest and subdued cultures of the Household.
Another selling point is the fact that the Horde nev-
er deports criminals who broke the law in some other
nation.

Sprites are known to be roaming people, as such,

many of them find it rather easy to pick up the Horde
way of life. I’ve known many who, after braving the
Great Stairs, the Short and Long Hallway, and the
Quivering Stairs, decided to stay in the Basement
for a couple of years, only to fall in love with
this land.
Sprites with a good nose for business can
easily make a fortune in any bazaar, or by finding
work at the palace as an ambassador or tutor. The
less fortunate among them fall victim to theft or
face financial meltdowns and are forced to find a
different way to make a living in the Basement, if
they wish to survive and return home.

Faeries who move to the Horde do so mostly for

job-related reasons. A good number of functionaries
and scholars of all subjects find employement at the
Fae embassy in Viletia, and even more move into
the many settlements of the Great Imperial Army
in Horde land.
There are some Faeries who move to the Basement
in search of new life somewhere far from the oppress-
ing life at court or to escape from their past.

Boggarts are considered a precious resource for the

Horde Army, and they are well paid for their service.
Many nobles insist that their personal guard consist
only of Boggarts, which has given way to something of
a trend. I too spent several of my years in the Horde,
but I was handed more rags and brooms than scissors
or arkeybuses.

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r 40 s
 II
Your Character
a n d h ow t o f i l l i n t h e c h a r a c t e r s h e e t

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I don’t really know you, but if you’ve made it this far, at The
least I know we have something in common: our desire
to tell a story. Better yet, to tell History! Character Sheet
In this book I pieced together the lives and deeds of The Character Sheet you can find by turning the page
many characters who lived through incredible adven- is a historical document of the utmost importance, a
tures. But who knows how many were left out. That’s way to keep track of everything you know about your
where you come in. Character.
If you know, either personally or through hearsay, of Their name, their Folk, their nation of origin, and
a littling whose deeds are worthy to be remembered, their profession. All these things find a place on this
you can make them your Character. Sheet, as do their skills, traits, Contracts, and other
Together with the Narrator and the other Players, precious information.
your task will then be to relive their life and retell their
story, one Chapter at a time. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, on the Sheet
you will also find a large frame where you can make a
Pictured Here: nice portrait of your Character.
J.D. Bilibinski It doesn’t need to be a great masterpiece. You just
taking a portrait. have to do your best, and do justice to the littling
you’ll be representing. That’s how they will go down
in history!
If you wish, you can also turn to someone else to il-
lustrate the Sheet, but I would sound a note of caution
if that is your choice. I did the same myself for this
volume, turning to Mr. Bilibinski who, despite being
a very talented artist, appears to often take some lib-
erties with historical facts. He often paints me with a
round belly which, in all honesty, is just excessive!

Anyway, to fill in your Character’s Sheet you’ll just

need to follow these simple steps:

Ӵ Choose a Name
Ӵ Choose a Folk
Ӵ Note your Hereditary Contract
Ӵ Choose a Nation of origin
Ӵ Choose a Profession and a Vocation
Ӵ Note your Field and Skill points
Ӵ Add 4 Skill Points where you want
Ӵ Choose your Traits and Moves
Ӵ Note the Aces up your Sleeve
Ӵ Note your Wealth and Equipment
Ӵ Note your level of Decorum
Ӵ Write your Prologue
Ӵ Choose one Memory
Ӵ Choose which Languages you know

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 FOLK & NATION
First of all, choose the Folk your Character belongs to
from this list:

Ӵ Faeries
Ӵ Boggart
Ӵ Sprites
Ӵ Sluagh

If your Character is a Sprite, also choose the elemen-

tal group they belong to. That is, whether they are a
Salamander, Sylph, or Undine.
Depending on the Folk, you will gain access to a
unique Hereditary Contract.

The Nation of origin of your Character defines the

place where they were born or spent their childhood,
or where they chose to move. The nations of the House
are:

Ӵ The Realm: In the Dining Hall

Ӵ The Hearth: In the Living Room
Ӵ The Free Dominions: On the Upper Floor
Ӵ The Horde: In the Basement

PROFESSION & VOCATION

Choose your Character’s Profession among:

Ӵ Soldier
Ӵ Scholar
Ӵ Hunter
Ӵ Criminal
Ӵ Duelist Once you’ve chosen a Profession, the next step is
Ӵ Animal Handler choosing one of its 6 Vocations.
For example, if you’re a Soldier, you could choose
The Profession of a littlings tells us several things from the list of Vocations to become a Gendarme, or a
about their life and their specialties, to the point that Scissor for Hire. If you’re a Scholar, on the other hand,
it might be the most important choice you make. you could choose to become a Diplomat or a Detective.
Fist of all, your Profession grants you a complete- And so on, and so forth.
ly unique Profession-Specific Trait. Like the Animal Your Vocation also gives access to an additional Trait
Handler’s trait Animal Companion, which gives you a you can choose from a list.
faithful furry, scaly, or chitinous friend.
Additionally, your Profession gives you access to a But most importantly, Profession and Vocation deter-
Move of your choice from a list. mine the points you have in each Field and Skill.

r 43 s
 SKILLS & FIELDS WAR : You are in the Field of War when you have
On your adventures, you’ll be able to rely on 20 Skills to rely on your muscles, when you fight, or when you
representing your Character’s proficiency level in dif- try to impose yourself on others.
ferent things. These Skills are divided into 4 Fields
that represent the context in which they most often Athletics: Running, jumping, climbing,
come into play. swimming, or riding.
Authority: Commanding, inspiring,
In the table for each Profession and Vocation, you’ll find intimidating.
a list including one Field and 10 Skills in which you gain Fight: Fighting in melee, taking part in a brawl.
a point, for a total of 2 Field points and 20 Skill points. Strength: Pushing, pulling, lifting or, breaking
After noting down these points, you also have access something.
to 4 additional points you can distribute in your Skills Will: Enduring stress or physical pain, resisting
as you prefer. temptation.
Bear in mind that at this point you cannot have more
than 3 points in the same Skill. STREET : You are in the Field of Street when
you try to act stealthily or face a hostile environment,
When facing a challenge, you will roll a number of dice such as the sketchiest part of a city or an impenetrable
equal to the sum of points you have in the Skill and mushroom forest.
Field you are using.
You’ll find more information on Fields and Skills, Caution: Being alert, anticipating or avoiding
and how to use them in Section IIII “How to Play”. danger.
Dexterity: Using sleight of hand, picking locks,
SOCIETY : You are in the Field of Society when pickpocketing.
you talk to other people to convince, manipulate, or Elusion: Moving stealthily, hiding, evading,
deceive them. escaping.
Exploration: Walking through wild lands,
Art: Performing, creating or evaluating art. orienteering, knowing about nature.
Charm: Seducing someone or making a good Shoot: Using ranged or throwing weapons.
impression.
Eloquence: Speaking, convincing, or deceiving.
Etiquette: Knowing and showing good
manners, interacting with polite society. ACES UP YOUR SLEEVE
Grace: Moving or acting gracefully, balancing, Aces are valuable resources you can play to gain great
or performing acrobatics. benefits. There are four Aces, one for each card suit,
plus a Joker.
ACADEMIA : You are in the Field of Academia You may play an Ace to gain an additional die before
when you rely on practical or theoretical knowledge a roll, to remove a Condition from your Character, to
gained through study or experience. re-use a Move, and even to make an attempt at turning
a Failure upside down.
Care:Tending to hurt, sick, or shocked littlings. You’ll find more information on Aces, how to use
Craft: Building, using, or repairing something. them at their best, and how to earn them, in a dedicat-
Culture: General knowledge and education level. ed segment in Section IIII “How to Play”.
Insight: Understanding the situation you’re in
or detecting lies. You begin the game with 2 Aces in the suits tied to the
Investigation: Finding clues or hidden objects, main Fields of your Character (i.e. the Fields in which
searching a place, gathering information. you have 2 points).

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 TRAITS AND MOVES EQUIPMENT & WEALTH
Traits and Moves are special talents and abilities you Large pieces of cutlery and dueling needles, grappling
can rely on during your adventures. hook and lines, clothes made in precious spider silk,
A Trait might grant you an additional die (+1) or a and wallpaper camouflage capes. On your adventure,
Free Re-roll in specific circumstances. Alternatively, it you can find useful items that offer benefits and make
might grant you access to exclusive information. Here you ready for just about everything.
is an example: In this part of your Sheet, you can note down your
Equipment, your level of Wealth, and the Coins at
Big and Strong your disposal.
Gain +1 to lift, carry, or break something.
As a general rule, you’ll begin the game in Middle
A Move is a special ability you can normally use only Class with 5 Coins at your disposal, which you can
once per Session. If you want to re-use a Move you also spend to buy your starting equipment.
already used that session, you can do so by playing an
Ace of a relevant suit. Here is an example: You’ll find a nice list of items, as well as everything
you need to know about Wealth, and how to create
Fast Reload a Character who begins as Poor, Well-off, or Rich, in
Reload a ranged weapon or firearm. Section VI “Equipment & Wealth”.

You’ll find a complete list of Traits and Moves in

Section III “Professions”.

Society Aces up the sleeve Decorum

ART
CHARM
UNCOUTH DECENT POMPOUS
ELOQUENCE SHABBY ELEGANT

ETIQUETTE
GRACE
Traits Stress
Academia
CARE
CRAF T Conditions
CULTURE
EMBARRASSED TIRED
INSIGHT
CONF USED SICK
INVESTIGATION
NAME:
HURT POISONED
FOLK:
FRIGHTENED BROKEN

War HOMELAND:

PROFESSION:
ATHLETICS
VOCATION:
AUTHORITY
FIGHT
oves Contracts LANGUAGES:

STRENGTH
WILL
emories
P.

Street I.

II.
CAUTION
III.
DEXTERITY
IIII.
ELUSION
EXPLORATION TTT I II III IIII V

V.
SHOOT

POOR WELL-OFF

Equipment & Wealth MIDDLE CLASS RICH

Experiences
r 45 s
 Conditions, on the other hand, represent serious inju-
ries, stinging humiliations, illnesses, and other note-
worthy statuses. When you have too many conditions,
you become Broken and stop being able to remove all
accumulated Stress.

You begin the game with no Stress and no Conditions.

For additional information on how you may suffer or
remove Stress and Conditions, refer to the dedicated
segments in Section IIII “How to Play”.

CONTRACTS
When choosing your native Folk, you immediately gain a
Hereditary Contract. This is an extraordinary, almost su-
DECORUM pernatural, power stemming from an ancient deal struck
Decorum is a measure of your elegance and personal by your forebearers with one of the Household Forces.
hygiene. A higher level of Decorum will make it easier The Hereditary Contracts are:
to earn the good will of nobles and so-called polite so-
ciety. A lower level of Decorum will help you be taken Ӵ Fairy: Starchild
seriously in seedy circles and criminal society. Ӵ Boggart: Dear to the Hearth
Ӵ Salamander: Out of the Spark
Your starting Decorum is determined by the total of Ӵ Sylph: Out of the Draft
your points in Society plus Academia. If you have 2 Ӵ Undine: Out of the Drain
points, you’re Shabby, and if you have 3 points, you’re Ӵ Sluagh: Revenant from Farbeyond
Decent. Finally, if you have 4 points, you can even be
Elegant, so long as you also have elegant clothes. You’ll find a detailed description of Contracts and
Before Chapter I, you may also pay 1 Coin to raise their mysterious powers in Section V “Contracts”.
your level of Decorum by one. Alternatively, you may
lower your level of Decorum by one and get 1 Coin in
exchange.
PROLOGUE
You’ll find everything you need to know about The Prologue of a Character is a short summary of the
Decorum near the end of Section IIII “How to Play”. most important events of their life before the begin-
ning of the story.
Here is an example:

STRESS & CONDITIONS Born in the Basement, Santiago was the illegitimate
Stress is a measure of your current physical and emo- son of a famous duelist from the Horde. After his
tional conditions, it represents all the small wounds, family inheritance was seized by the Great Imperial
the exhaustion, the tension, and the fear you can amass Army, he decided to set off on a journey to earn a
during your adventure. reputation and fortune worthy of his father.
You can have a maximum of 12 Stress. When you
exceed this limit, you become Overstressed and can You don’t have to write the Prologue on the Sheet, but
even risk having to Bow Out. it helps you determine your first Memory.

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 EXPERIENCES & MEMORIES
Every time something truly important happens as
your story progresses, you can note it down in the Extended
“Experiences” section of your Sheet.
Your Reputation, your great Achievements, the
physical and metaphorical Scars, and the Bonds you
Sheet
make, all these things become Experience that can There is also an Extended Character
prove Helpful or Hindering. Sheet, spanning over two pages, which
you can find at the end of this volume.
You begin the game with no Experiences, but with one
important Memory coming from your Prologue. The Extended Sheet looks somewhat
like the traveling documents carried by
Santiago’s Prologue Memory littlings, and should be folded in half
I am the son of the great Don Ramiro. like a refined passport.
That said, the Extended Sheet is much
A Memory is an Experience that has taken root with- more spacious, allowing you to keep track
in your Character. It is one of the narrative building of the Prologue, but also of all Chapters
blocks of their story. you’ll play, as well as all the enchanting
Drawing from your Prologue, write a short sentence littlings you’ll meet along the way.
that encapsulate a pivotal moment in the life of your
Character. As the story progresses and you move from
one Chapter to the next, you will make new Memories
which, in turn, will accompany you on your adventures.

Here are some examples of Prologue Memories:

LANGUAGES
Ӵ I can always rely on Earnest. There are 5 Languages spoken in the House, each of
Ӵ I am an esteemed university professor. them different from the others.
Ӵ I have worked in a Bumblebee farm.
Ӵ My heart was broken. Ӵ Housian: The lingua franca of the House,
Ӵ I’m madly in love with Yuliya. spoken in every Room.
Ӵ I fought in the Household War. Ӵ Fae: The language of the Realm.
Ӵ I have worked for a criminal gang. Ӵ Hearthish: The language of the Hearth.
Ӵ I never trust anyone. Ӵ Sprigaelic: The language of the Free
Ӵ I saved the life of a wealthy noble. Dominions.
Ӵ My last solved case is in the papers. Ӵ Slugan: The Language of the Horde.

To learn more about Experiences and Memories and Your Character knows at least 2 of these languages:
about how they come into play during your adven- Housian, plus the language of their home nation.
tures, you can go straight to the dedicated segment in If you have 2 points in Academia, you also gain a
Section VIII “Saga”. third language of your choice.

To understand a language you don’t know, you must

make an appropriate roll in Culture.
On your adventures, you might also learn new lan-
Pictured on the left: guages by choosing the Polyglot Trait.
Pryscilla and Zagor to the rescue.

r 47 s
 BALLAD OF THE SPIDER
AND ROOKIE HUNTER

Keysket ready and prey in mind The vile creature tracked down
The rookie hunter eagerly strides The dark outline now in sight
Through molds and dust alike Our rookie grabs his arkeybus
Mushrooms rising on both sides And takes aim, steady and right
He faces a dangerous hike When the trigger lets the bullet loose
And leaves all light behind Tonight he’ll be the talk of town

In the dark where eyes can’t see The mark is set, the target struck
Still he finds a trail to follow And with a loud noise of thundercrack
Tasting victory and glory The bullet pierces shell and flesh
He ventures far into the hollows But as the bulky body falls back
Stalking silently for a quarry No cry, no wail, the beast won’t thresh
To finally prove his mastery And for one beat the hunter’s stuck

Tracks like words on a page A corpse was left a prey to lure

Trailing notes on a stave For the hungry spider in the shadow
Song of a beast not far ahead Who now falls on its hunter-prey
Maybe there, inside the cave That turns around but far too slow
A little further he must tread He finds he’s trapped to his dismay
Before his turn to step on stage His fate is marked and that’s for sure

Feeling on a lucky streak And if at first he felt so strong

Tracking a chafer or a roach Tragedy strikes in one swift bite
He thinks of trophies soon to come The ardor’s snuffed and what a shame
But something follows his approach The boy with eyes that shone so bright
A quiet shadow on his plum Who once claimed the hunter’s name
Far more expert in its technique Alas was prey all along.

r 48 s
 III
Professions
of soldiers, scholars, hunters, criminals, duelists, and animal handlers

r 49 s
 Soldiers SOLDIER VOCATIONS
Ӵ Cadet Ӵ Gendarme
There are many ways to make an honest living in the Ӵ Guardian Ӵ Officer
House. One of them is becoming a soldier and taking Ӵ First-Class Ӵ Scissor for hire
on a military career.
Soldiers are strong, competent littlings who aren’t
afraid to face grueling training to prepare for an even
tougher profession. SOLDIER MOVES
Some of them are descendants of multi-decorat- Bodyguard
ed families, eager to honor a long military tradition. When a friend suffers any amount of Stress and/or a
Others come to this profession out of poverty or look- Condition, you can choose to take it on yourself.
ing for a chance to travel and become independent.
Whatever the reason, enlisting has always been easy Defensive Stance
and, sadly, it possibly will be for a long time. The First Requires a two-handed Melee Weapon
Household War has ended, true, but the demand for All your friends gain +1 to their next Reaction Roll
littlings prepared to dish out an adequate amount of against an Opponent.
violence is still high.
Endure Pain
This is the profession of soldiers from all armies and Remove a single Condition from yourself. You cannot
nations, but also of mercenaries who sell their swords remove the Broken Condition this way.
to the highest bidder, as well as guards and gendarmes
employed as police corps. Power Through
Other littlings who, somewhat less directly, fall into You can React against an Opponent using Will +1,
this category are dangerous ruffians, and anyone who instead of the requested Skill.
follows rich merchants or nobles as their bodyguards.
These people are in high demand and usually are closer Charge!
to their employer than their closest advisor. Some of you Requires a Melee Weapon
may have heard the story of the boggart working as a The first time you attack an Opponent, you deal 1 ad-
bodyguard for Vin De Champagne, who on three sepa- ditional Stress.
rate occasions took a bullet for his employer. At the time
of his death, the rich fairy bequeathed his whole estate Hold them Back
to the boggart, leaving his three children high and dry. Requires a two-handed Melee Weapon
You suffer -2 to your current Reaction Roll against an
Opponent. All your friends automatically succeed in
SOLDIER that same Reaction Roll, and can leave the fight.
Field Point: Skill Points:
War Care Spin Attack
Craft Requires a two-handed Melee Weapon
Trait: Investigation After you hit an Opponent, you can make a second
Master at Arms Athletics Action Roll with -1.
Authority
Choose one Move: Fight Two on One
Bodyguard, Defensive Strength You and a friend gain +1 to your next Fight roll.
Stance, Endure Pain, Will
or Power Through Caution
Shoot

r 50 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Dimitri, a fairy; Ira, an undine;
r 51 s Tubo, a sluagh; and Jemma, a boggart.
 CADET
Field Point: Skill Points: “What’s the harm in wanting to live a little
Society Art between one battle and the next?”
Charm
Choose one Trait: Etiquette Young littlings of high hopes and good looks, the
Heartbreaker, Grace Cadets are more accustomed to court balls than to life
Well-Trained, or Culture at the front. They rely on the charm of the uniform to
Well-Mannered Insight break hearts all over the House.
Athletics
Fight Among them, there are the honor guard escorting
Dexterity Realm nobles and dignitaries in their journeys through
Elusion the House or even standing post in Highlight.

GUARDIAN
Field Point: Skill Points: “Stick close to me. And if things turn bad,
Society Art let me deal with it.”
Eloquence
Choose one Trait: Care Whether they are a soldier on a mission or a mer-
Big and Strong, Brawler, Craft cenary hired as a bodyguard, you can always rely on
or Selfless Insight a Guardian in your time of need. These littlings are
Fight trained to defend others, and they all perform their
Strength duties admirably.
Will
Caution Some of them work as escorts for the merchant cara-
Exploration vans that cross the Free Dominions and Hearth every
day, Others travel with Hunters for their most danger-
ous expeditions.

FIRST-CLASS
Field Point: Skill Points: “We are the best of the best.”
Academia Etiquette
Grace First-Class Soldiers receive the best training in the
Choose one Trait: Culture House. Some of them serve in the Great Imperial
Big and Strong, Athletics Army after attending the Glasburg Academy in the
Braveheart, or Fight Cupboard, others, called the Warriors of the Great
Well-trained Strength Blade, are members of the Horde Army.
Will
Dexterity And let’s not forget the soldiers of the Porcelain Army
Exploration from the Free Dominions, with their amazing enamel
Shoot cuirasses, and the garrisons of the Hearth Army who
are regularly called to help the Realm in their foreign
missions.

r 52 s
 GENDARME
Field Point: Skill Points: “Move along. Move along, I said!
Academia Eloquence Nothing to see here!”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Craft Gendarmes are police agents who protect the cities
Sixth Sense, From the Insight from criminals and hoodlums.
Gutter, or Alert Investigation In the Realm, they are members of the Royal
Authority Gendarmerie and wear green uniforms. In the Hearth,
Will they wear light blue shirts and answer directly to the
Caution sheriff of their county. In the Freedomes, their red
Elusion jackets stand out in the crowded markets, and they are
Shoot famously efficient. Finally in the Horde, they are called
the Militia and have the tough job of trying to stem
the illegal trafficking of goods in the Basement.

OFFICER
Field Point: Skill Points: “Littlings! On my command!”
Academia Eloquence
Etiquette High ranking members of the army, important exam-
Choose one Trait: Charm ples for their fellow soldiers, or veterans of the great-
Natural Born Leader, Care est battles of the House, Officers are charismatic and
Tough as a Nail, or Culture inflexible leaders. Their brave deeds and speeches can
Mediator Insight bolster hearts and lead soldiers to victory.
Authority
Fight Disciplined and cultured littlings, Officers are in
Will charge of military groups and carry pretentious titles
Shoot like “Sergeant”, “Brigadier”, or “Captain”.

SCISSOR FOR HIRE

Field Point: Skill Points: “The House is a dangerous place. I can help you...
Street Charm For the right fee, obviously.”
Care
Choose one Trait: Craft In every self-respecting tavern, from the depths of the
Tough as Nail, Big and Authority Basement to the Upper Floors of the Freedomes, there
Strong, or Brawler Fight will always be a Scissor for Hire looking for work.
Strength Littlings of few words and big actions, these soldiers
Will of fortune offer their services to the highest bidder,
Caution and they are mostly trustworthy. Some work for or-
Elusion ganized groups, some operate on their own, but all of
Exploration them seem to have at least some sort of honor code.

r 53 s
 Scholars SCHOLAR VOCATIONS
ӵ Artist ӵ Doctor
While it is true that soldiers and hunters defend our ӵ Diplomat ӵ Detective
nations, scholars are the ones who lead them forward. ӵ Researcher ӵ Scientist
These littlings of great culture and sharp mind are
trained year after year in universities and academies
all over the House and go on to become source of
pride and inspiration for all who wish for a better fu- SCHOLAR MOVES
ture. After the First Household War, the demand for Attention to Details
scholars in all fields has grown sensibly, and the open Either ask the Narrator for a clue or suggestion, or find
frontiers have made it even easier for Folks and na- an Opponent’s Weak Spot.
tions to share their different methods and discoveries
with one another. For all littlings of science, art, and Do you know who I am!
culture, this is a prosperous time, full of unprecedented You can React against a littling by rolling Authority
opportunities. +1, instead of the requested Skill.
This is the profession of all littlings who focus on
studying one or more subjects in depth.
Fast Learning
After a friend has successfully passed a roll, you suc-
ceed on the same roll without rolling dice.
Some examples are dignitaries, ambassadors, and dip-
lomats working either in their homeland or abroad;
Soothe Pain
as well as doctors and surgeons, engineers, architects,
Remove a single Condition from a friend. You cannot
botanists, and alchemists, but also philosophers, car-
remove the Broken Condition this way.
tographers, and historians. We can’t of course forget to
mention artists and art theorists, critics, and stylists of Tinker
renown; composers, musicians, gastronomes, and gour- Either fix something, or find, re-set, or create a Gadget.
mets, as well as forensic experts and great detectives.
Then there are pedagogues and educators, etiquette Friends in High Places
experts and the adepts of amorous arts, linguists and Obtain information or resources thanks to your con-
even poets or writers, like yours truly. nection to high society or fame.

Money to Spare
Pay for a piece of equipment, some goods, or a service
without spending Coins.
SCHOLAR
Field Point: Skill Points: Outsmart
Academia Art You can make one roll of any kind using Culture in-
Eloquence stead of the requested Skill.
Trait: Etiquette
Talk to the Crowd
Know-it-all Care
Get the attention or help of a large group of littlings
Craft
who are in your vicinity.
Choose one Move: Culture
Attention to Details, Do Insight Unsolicited Advice
You Know Who I Am?, Investigation You step in to give unsolicited advice. Either a friend
Fast Learning, Soothe Caution gains +1 to their next Action Roll, and suffers 1 Stress,
Pain, or Tinker Elusion or you distract a littling with your words.

r 54 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Gwen, a boggart; Malaika, a sluagh;
r 55 s Pierre, a fairy; and Aidan, a salamander.
 ARTIST
Field Point: Skill Points: “Et voilà! Another masterpiece is completed!”
Society Art
Charm Musicians, painters, acrobats, poets, actors, and so
Choose one Trait: Etiquette on and so forth! Artists are the beating heart of the
Gifted Performer, Master Grace Household.
Artisan, or Acrobat Care Creative geniuses from the University of Viletia or
Craft street acrobats, master composers graduated on the
Insight Piano or roaming illustrators without a penny, these
Athletics littlings always know how to capture an audience.
Dexterity
Elusion Especially in the Horde, Artists – and poets above all
– are held in great esteem and there is no Emir's court
without one.

DIPLOMAT
Field Point: Skill Points: “In my humble opinion, coming together to find
Society Art an agreement is always to the advantage of both
Eloquence interested parties. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Choose one Trait: Etiquette
Well-Mannered, Grace Ambassadors, tutors, and mediators of all sorts,
Polyglot, or Mediator Culture Diplomats earn their keep thanks to their impeccable
Insight manners and charismatic debate skills.
Authority
Will For many young littlings, studying and taking on the
Caution Diplomat life is a great way to gain an in to the lux-
Elusion urious life at court and become a part of high society.

RESEARCHER
Field Point: Skill Points: “My life-long research is finally bearing f ruits.
Society Charm We are this close to the truth!”
Eloquence
Choose one Trait: Culture If something is out there waiting to be found, then out
Librarian, Polyglot, or Insight there there’s also a Researcher looking for it.
Pathfinder Investigation Some of these littlings of culture focus on History,
Athletics others are skilled cartographers trying to map the
Fight House, and others still are botanists searching for pre-
Will cious and rare mushrooms.
Elusion
Exploration And how can we forget the littlings who hunt for rel-
ics and mysteries, true treasure hunters fueled by their
thirst for knowledge and truth.

r 56 s
 DOCTOR
Field Point: Skill Points: “Please stay still, now. This will only hurt a little...”
War Etiquette
Care Of all Scholars, Doctors are the ones you’re usually
Choose one Trait: Craft less eager to see. But you can’t really blame them for
Physician, Selfless, or Culture it. These academics among academics can treat any
Braveheart Authority wound or ailment, but their methods are not always
Fight delicate.
Strength
Will The most famous among them are doubtlessly the
Caution ones who graduate from the prestigious Faculty of
Dexterity Medicine and Surgery in Tuberdam, managed by
none-other than Dr. Werner Reinhardt.

DETECTIVE
Field Point: Skill Points: “Another case to solve.
Street Eloquence Another mystery to reveal.”
Craft
Choose one Trait: Culture Detectives are possibly the most celebrated scholars in
Sixth Sense, Forensic Insight the House. It is not uncommon for their deeds to be-
Science, or Alert Investigation come the subject of newspaper articles, holding every-
Authority one in suspense like real-life adventure novels. Some
Fight of them are self-employed and have their own agency,
Caution others work for law enforcement.
Elusion The Tuberdam University recently inaugurated a
Shoot faculty of Forensic Sciences that, with its cutting-edge
approach, trains day after day a new generation of
Detectives for the House.

SCIENTIST
Field Point: Skill Points: “It could work! Well, maybe not like this
Street Grace - cough cough - but if I turn this, then...”
Craft
Choose one Trait: Culture Mechanics, engineers, botanists, clock-makers, zoolo-
Master Artisan, Authority gists, and alchemists. All these littlings of theory and
Engineer, or Librarian Fight practice have certainly earned the title of Scientist, as
Strength they all share a passion for one or several branches of
Caution science.
Dexterity
Exploration Often times, these Scholars like to bring their ideas to
Shoot the extreme, and they’re always in the middle of some
strange experiment or research. One way or another,
their train of thought never stops!

r 57 s
 Hunters HUNTER VOCATIONS
Ӵ Guide Ӵ Scout
Wild mice, rats, centipedes, and spiders of all shapes Ӵ Champion Ӵ Lone Mouse
and sizes roam the lands of the House, crawling in Ӵ Nomad Ӵ Bounty Hunter
the Carpets and Inbetweens. No littling can feel truly
safe setting foot beyond the boundaries of their set-
tlements, least of all facing a long journey with a pack
snail or as part of a slow merchant caravan. HUNTER MOVES
Those creatures are a true infestation we will never Fast Reload
be completely rid of, for all we know. Reload a ranged weapon or firearm.

The valiant hunters are littlings who dedicate their Sharp eye
life to driving these beasts out of our land, and they’re Either find important clues thanks to your sharp eye,
never short of work. In many cities there are even tav- or learn the Opponent’s Weak Spot.
erns or stables where groups of hunters spend their
days drinking and laughing as they wait for the work Take Cover!
to find them. Either you and a friend hide quickly, or you and/or a
friend automatically dodge some bullets, an attack, or
This is the profession of freelance hunters and of those a move of a Large, Huge, Giant or Flying Opponent
who work as members of a den, but also of rangers without rolling the dice.
in many police forces and poachers looking for easy
money. Many of the sentries patrolling the borders and Find Resources
Hallways are skillful hunters, trained in tracking and Either find food, improvised weapons, ammunition,
navigating through the molds and mushrooms without or similarly important resources thanks to your smarts
being noticed. and knowledge of the wilderness, or find, re-set, or
Other examples are the many guides who accompany create a Gadget.
travelers through unknown lands or lead adventurers
into the depths of the Inbetweens to search for lost Precision Shot
treasure. Repeat a Shoot Roll ignoring all Conditions.

Quick Reaction
Either avoid an ambush after a failed Reaction Roll,
or gain +1 to your next Reaction Roll against a beast.
HUNTER
Field Point: Skill Points: Rescue
Street Care Either prevent a friend from suffering the Broken
Craft Condition, or save a friend from having to Bow Out
Trait: Investigation without spending a Joker.
Sharpshooter Athletics
Fight Slay
Choose one Move: Will After you hit a Large, Huge, or Giant Opponent, you
Fast Reload, Find Caution can make a second Action Roll with -1.
Resources, Sharp Eye, or Elusion
Take Cover! Exploration
Shoot

r 58 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Icarus, a fairy; Qamar, a sluagh;
r 59 s Humphrey, a boggart; and Litha, a salamander.
 GUIDE
Field Point: Skill Points: “This way! Trust me, I know exactly where we’re
Society Eloquence going.”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Grace From the Waxy Swale of the Realm to the Sawdust
Pathfinder, Polyglot, or Care Waste down in the Basement, all the way through the
Alert Culture Long Hallway and the steep Stairs, the wildest places
Insight in the House pose great challenges for travelers and
Caution caravans.
Elusion
Exploration Lucky for them, there are Guides, expert Hunters and
Shoot first-class explorers who know how to dodge – and if it
comes to it face – every peril.

CHAMPION
Field Point: Skill Points: “And did I tell you about that time I punched a
Society Charm wolf spider right between the eyes yet?”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Craft Champions are lovable braggarts who fill the taverns
Braveheart, Big and Athletics with their hunting trophies and always have one or two
Strong, or Beastmaster Authority dozen stories to tell in front of a fire.
Fight
Strength Many of them belong to a den, a guild of Hunters
Will who all share the same symbol and the same code
Exploration of conduct. The most famous among them are the
Shoot Deadmouse Den in Wallford, the Goldwing Den in
the Realm, and the Broken Key down in the Basement.

NOMAD
Field Point: Skill Points: “The House is my road. The road is my home.”
Academia Care
Craft As the name itself suggests, Nomads are Hunters
Choose one Trait: Culture without fixed abode who travel constantly to explore
Pathfinder, Physician, or Insight or patrol the wild wastes of the House.
Camouflage Athletics
Fight Among them, we should name the littlings of the hot
Strength Kashab, the Sawdust Desert basked in the light of the
Will eternal Sunset, but also the pioneers on the Carpet
Elusion Plains all around the Yule Tree in the Living Room.
Exploration

r 60 s
 SCOU T
Field Point: Skill Points: “Do you hear this silence?
War Eloquence Someone is waiting for us...”
Grace
Choose one Trait: Insight Alert and quiet, Scouts are extremely skilled explor-
Alert, Deadeye, or Athletics ers tasked with protecting an encampment or doing
Camouflage Strength reconnaissance.
Caution
Dexterity Some of these Hunters are out-and-out soldiers, like
Elusion the ones who study at the Royal Army Academy in the
Exploration Cupboard. These littlings are often deployed to other
Shoot nations or in the common territories, like the Short
and Long Hallway or the Great Stairs, so that they can
keep an eye on the opposing armies.

LONE MOUSE
Field Point: Skill Points: “I don’t care. It’s not my problem.
War Care I just do my job.”
Craft
Choose one Trait: Insight Some Hunters only care about the hunt. Whether
Deadeye, Pathfinder, or Athletics they’re looking to flush out a dangerous beast or to
Beastmaster Authority earn a bounty of pelts and husks to sell on the market.
Fight Some of these Lone Mice only work for themselves,
Strength others can be hired as mercenaries and work for private
Will clients or for the merchant Corporations of the Upper
Caution Floor. But all of them are detached loners, real tough
Shoot guys!

BOUNTY HUNTER
Field Point: Skill Points: “No need to pull that face.
War Charm There’s someone willing
Eloquence to pay a lot of money to see you, aren’t you glad?”
Choose one Trait: Insight
Tough as a Nail, Sixth Investigation Not all Hunters hunt for insects and big rats. Some of
Sense, or Nail Thrower Authority them prefer to hunt littlings who broke the law or who
Fight made dangerous enemies somewhere in the city.
Will
Dexterity Bounty Hunters have a reputation as ruthless mer-
Elusion cenaries, and some of them truly are. But others are
Shoot fueled by a deep sense of justice, or are on a mission for
the greater good.

r 61 s
 Criminals CRIMINAL VOCATIONS
ӵ Courtesan ӵ Professional
As long as there are honest littlings willing to work for ӵ Cheater ӵ Snitch
honest wages, there will also be others who try to take ӵ Thief ӵ Thug
advantage of them.
I can’t in all honesty call the criminal life a real
profession, but desperate times sometimes call for des-
perate solutions. The War left a lasting mark on the CRIMINAL MOVES
people of the Household, and many found themselves Expedient
in abject poverty. Either you and a friend get out of a dangerous situa-
Some of the littlings who did, had no choice but to tion, or you both leave a combat.
turn to petty theft and occasional scams to survive,
subsequently finding that they had been trapped by a I heard a rumor!
dark, scary world that they can no longer escape from. Either you know a thorny piece of information learned
Others are just plain crooks, but they too have a place from gossip – you may come up with this or ask the
and an important role to play in the eyes of History. Narrator – or you start a rumor yourself.

This is the profession of swindlers, dodgers, and scam-

Jack of all Trades
Gain +1 to your next Roll.
mers of all sorts, with their wide smiles and open pock-
ets, eager to be lined. It’s the field of quick-fingered
Learn from Mistakes
thieves ready to unburden us of our purses, but also
After a friend has failed a roll, you automatically suc-
of cheats who, after all, do just the same. And let us
ceed without rolling dice.
not forget the forgers, true artists of crime, and all the
talented actors who are con artists and impostors. Your Loss, My Gain
There are some who sneak into houses and mansions A friend suffers the consequences of your failure in-
leaving no trace behind, there are those who operate on stead of you.
locks and strongboxes with the precision of a surgeon;
the sweet apothecaries with their invisible poisons. Ambush
Finally, there are bandits, cutthroats, and assassins who, Quietly knock out an unaware littling without attract-
unsatisfied with money, also steal lives. ing attention.

Concealed Nail
CRIMINAL You have a concealed nail on you, or you can find one.
Field Point: Skill Points:
Street Eloquence Friends in Low Places
Grace Obtain information or resources thanks to your under-
Trait: Insight world connections or criminal reputation.
Shadow Investigation
Fiddling
Athletics
Either pick a lock, or find, re-set, or create a Gadget.
Choose one Move: Authority
Expedient, I Heard a Fight Sleight of Hand
Rumor, Jack of all Trades, Caution Either steal a small object within reach, or regain all
Learn from Mistakes, Dexterity Coins spent to pay for one piece of equipment, good,
Your Loss, My Gain Elusion or service.

r 62 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Jocelyne, a fairy; Sienna, a boggart;
r 63 s Micah, a sluagh; and Gunther, a sylph.
 COURTESAN
Field Point: Skill Points: “Should we go dance this evening?”
Society Art
Charm Walking about the main streets of Household cities,
Choose one Trait: Etiquette you’ll often stumble into private clubs and gambling
Well-Mannered, Grace houses with a clientèle made up of high-society
Heartbreaker, or Gifted Care littlings.
Performer Authority These places are always frequented by courtesans
Fight and escorts, eager to live it up on somebody else’s dime
Will and ready to take advantage of those distracted mon-
Dexterity eybags who sometime forget they’re married.
Elusion In the Realm it’s common for Courtesans to wear
small ornamental wings, sometimes disgracefully
painted red, like the Tsarina’s.

CHEATER
Field Point: Skill Points: “You’re a smart fellow, that’s plain to see.
Society Eloquence And you know that I could never lie to you!”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Grace The crime of choice for Cheaters is a victimless one
Well-Mannered, Perfect Care and, after all, they often stick to simply lying for a job.
Liar, or Polyglot Culture
Insight Some of these Criminals attach themselves to a noble
Athletics or rich littling like mold, fleecing them piece by piece,
Caution others sell miraculous elixirs in the street markets.
Dexterity What they all share is the honeyed opportunism and
Elusion the talent for lightening people’s pockets with a smile.

THIEF
Field Point: Skill Points: “I work in the redistribution of wealth
Academia Eloquence and open-ended loans.”
Grace
Choose one Trait: Craft Long tapered fingers dipping into the deep pockets
Pickpocket, Picklock, or Insight of the city’s wealthiest. Sharp minds able to crack any
Acrobat Investigation combination and open any lock. You have to give it to
Athletics the Thieves, they are among the most skilled Criminals
Fight out there.
Caution
Dexterity Some settle for getting rich at the expense of some
Elusion distracted littling. Others are true criminal geniuses
who settle for nothing but the showiest of heists and
love to read about their deeds on the papers.

r 64 s
 PROFESSIONAL
Field Point: Skill Points: “It’s a hard work, but somebody has to do it...”
Academia Art
Etiquette If you want to pull off a heist worthy of the history
Choose one Trait: Grace books, what you need is a real Professional.
Counterfeiter, Physician, Care
or Engineer Craft These Criminals are doctors without a license, ready to
Culture patch up littlings without asking questions. First-rate
Insight counterfeiters who can replicate art pieces and official
Authority documents for any occasion. Scientists expelled from
Dexterity their universities or practices who put their gumption
Shoot at the service of criminal rings.

SNITCH
Field Point: Skill Points: “You wouldn’t believe what I’ve seen.”
Academia Eloquence
Culture Sometimes information is worth more than money.
Choose one Trait: Insight Snitches know this very well, as they make a career out
From the Gutter, Perfect Investigation of gathering and selling private information.
Liar, or Sixth Sense Athletics
Will Some of them work with the rings in Unter or
Fight Tuberdam, others are under-cover agents for law en-
Caution forcement. Others still only work for themselves, and
Elusion they try to climb into high society one piece of intel
Shoot at a time.

THUG
Field Point: Skill Points: “One blow to the head and it’s dealt with.
War Charm There’s no need to drag this on.”
Craft
Choose one Trait: Athletics The fine art of deceit, the light touch of quick fingers,
Big and Strong, Tough as Authority and the exact science of breaking and entering, these
a Nail, or Brawler Fight are not the best qualities of a Thug. They would much
Strength rather do things rough.
Will In the vast Carpet Plains or in Pinewood Forest, for
Caution example, a littling can take their time to set an ambush
Exploration and lie in wait for the next merchant caravan to pass
Shoot through, or the next group of hunters on their way
back from a harsh hunt.

r 65 s
 Duelists DUELIST VOCATIONS
Ӵ Libertine Ӵ Captain
The First Household War left a lasting mark on the Ӵ Hero Ӵ Swashbuckler
Household and its people. The world was profoundly, Ӵ Virtuoso Ӵ Rebel
radically changed in just a few years, and the newly
invented technologies wiped out entire professions,
subverting age-old traditions.
Duelers are the keeper of an ancient art handed DUELIST MOVES
down in old academies, an art of war that originated Cunning Tactics
when war was a cleaner, more romantic affair, when the Either find the Weak Spot of a littling Opponent, or
fighter’s skill really made a difference on the battlefield. avoid all effects of a littling Opponent’s Move.
Everyone loves them because they are the last vestiges
of a simpler time bringing our minds and hearts back to En Garde
an age of fairy tales and grand deeds and undying loves. Requires a Dueling Weapon
You and a friend gain +1 to your next Reaction Roll
This is the profession of all the people who learned the art against a littling Opponent.
of dueling either in a school or from a master and made it
Bravado
their lifestyle. These littlings earn a living either by pass-
Without rolling the dice, you can dodge bullets, pull of
ing on their art or at the service of rich merchants and
a dangerous stunt, avoid the consequences of a fall, or
nobles. Sometimes their fame is so grand, that a powerful
leave a combat.
individual actually calls upon them to go on a real quest.
Riposte
Requires a Dueling Weapon
FENCING ACADEMIES
You can react against a littling Opponent by rolling
At the Fencing Academy in Faeriyev students learn the Fight +1 instead of the requested Skill.
elegant and precise art of the pin, while in Wallford,
the Hearth Academy prefers the use of the dueling Feint
half-scissor. Down in the Basement, the Academia on Requires a Dueling Weapon
the Mirandola Gulf follows the way of the lancetta. Repeat a single Action Roll against a littling Opponent,
Finally, on the Upper Floor, the Academy of the Free you have +1 to the roll and ignore all Conditions.
Dominions in the Vanity passes on the tailoring style
of the needle. Broken Time
Requires a Dueling Weapon
After you hit a littling, you can make a second Action
DUELIST Roll with -1.
Field Point: Skill Points:
Make an Entrance
War Charm
Requires a Dueling Weapon
Etiquette
Instantly enter a combat and make an Action Turn,
Trait: Grace
even if you were very far from the Opponent or oth-
Swordfighter Culture
erwise engaged.
Insight
Choose one Move: Athletics Vendetta
Cunning Tactics, En Authority Requires a Dueling Weapon
Garde, Bravado, or Fight After a failed Reaction Roll against a littling Opponent,
Riposte Dexterity you deal them 1 Stress.
Elusion

r 66 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Siobhan,a sylph; Earnest, a boggart;
r 67 s Yuliya, a fairy; and Santiago, a sluagh.
 LIBERTINE
Field Point: Skill Points: “Enchanted to make your acquaintance. Even the
Society Art Chandelier pales in f ront of your beauty.”
Charm
Choose one Trait: Eloquence Who can resist the timeless charm of a Duelist?
Heartbreaker, Well- Etiquette Libertines are clearly the most gallant and charismatic
Mannered, or Perfect Grace fencers in the House. They are known for being just as
Liar Care lethal fighters as they are hopeless romantics.
Insight
Investigation Their elegance stands out both on the battlefield and
Fight in the ballroom, and sometime you can even see them
Elusion hustle down from the window of some rich catch come
dawn.

HERO
Field Point: Skill Points: “My halfscissor defends the weak and strikes
Society Charm down the evil. Good will triumph in the end.”
Grace
Choose one Trait: Care Wherever there are crime and injustice, there will al-
Braveheart, Natural Born Craft ways be a Hero to fight them. Duelists armed with
Leader, or Selfless Athletics blade and honor, these littlings with high ideals are
Authority always on the front lines to defend those in need.
Fight
Strength Some Heroes are young hopefuls, others are soldiers
Will on a mission, and others still are champions of the peo-
Caution ple. But all of them are pure of heart and strong of will.

VIRTUOSO
Field Point: Skill Points: “We are what we do again and again.
Society Art Practice makes perfect.”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Grace Virtuosos are master swordfighters who place form
Acrobat, Panache, or Care and elegance above all else. Their grace is legendary,
Gifted Performer Athletics and their discipline is without equal.
Fight
Will Among them, there are the athletes who face off in
Caution fencing competitions and tournaments in Faeriyev and
Dexterity Viletia. But there are also the bodyguards who serve
Elusion under nobles and merchants, the perfect union of form
and substance.

r 68 s
 CAP TAIN
Field Point: Skill Points: “Follow me, and I shall lead you to victory!”
Academia Eloquence
Etiquette Captains are expert Duelists who lead their littlings
Choose one Trait: Grace with strength and determination.
Tough as a Nail, Well- Care Some of them are true soldiers, forged in first-class
Mannered, or Natural Insight academies like the one standing under the Great
Born Leader Investigation Window, or the one in Viletia, on the Mirandola Gulf.
Authority Others are mercenaries who follow an extremely
Fight strict code of honor, or even deserters and dissidents
Will who become mouthpieces against injustice.
Caution

SWASHBUCKLER
Field Point: Skill Points: “I’m looking for adventure, fame, and a bit of
Street Charm money. I leave all the rest to you lot!”
Eloquence
Choose one Trait: Etiquette Some Duelists are out-and-out adventurers who de-
Acrobat, Panache, or Grace vote their life to the hunt for fame and strong emotions.
Nail Thrower Insight These Swashbucklers coming straight out of cheap
Investigation adventure novels always know how to shake up the sit-
Athletics uation, and even if they’re not looking for trouble, you
Fight can rest assured that trouble will find them!
Dexterity Among them, how could we forget the Umbral rat-
Shoot adores who day after day test themselves in dangerous
corridas.

REBEL
Field Point: Skill Points: “We shall never bow and never surrender.
Street Eloquence The people deserve justice!”
Grace
Choose one Trait: Care Whether they do it on their own or with a merry band,
Well-Trained, From the Insight whether they wear a mask or not, Rebels are always
Gutter, or Selfless Fight ready to fight the rich and powerful, standing staunch-
Strength ly on the side of the people.
Will
Caution Some call them criminals, others call them heroes.
Elusion Whatever the truth may be, these Duelists will never
Exploration hesitate to put their lives on the line to defend the
cause.

r 69 s
 Animal Handlers ANIMAL HANDLER VOCATIONS
ӵ Veterinarian ӵ Trainer
If hunters are tasked with exploring the wild lands ӵ Aristocrat ӵ Street Performer
and defending the general population from aggressive ӵ Rancher ӵ Traveling Merchant
beasts, handlers devote their lives to rearing, looking
after, training, and taking care of animals and insects
who can coexist peacefully with littlings. Could you
imagine the House with no riding mice, no gecko ANIMAL COMPANION
shows, no pet bumblebees, or no watch beetles? The Every Animal Handler starts at Chapter I with an
presence of these creatures in our day-to-day life is so Animal Companion of their choice between:
deeply rooted that we almost take it for granted, but it
took decades of work for the animal handlers to make ӵ Beetle
it possible. ӵ Bumblebee
ӵ Gecko
This is the profession of those who dedicate their lives ӵ Mouse
to taking care of one or more animals, those who man-
age a ranch or farm, as well as all veterinaries working
in their studies, and those who serve either at court or These animals are played by the same Player who
in the army. They are mousehands, they’re the people plays the Animal Handler, and can act independently
who train mice to guard houses or hunt, and those who only to take small or simple actions. Whenever a roll
prepare and dress up rats for the arenas in Umbral. is required, on the other hand, Handler and Animal
But there are also littlings who breed pet bumble- Companion must always act together by using the
bees or hornets, who tame and train pack beetles or Skill of the Animal Handler while the animal supports
war beetles, and finally the gecko tamers who roam the them if possible.
House with their traveling shows. Every Animal Companion grants many benefits, of-
fering Help or Free Re-rolls in specific circumstances,
as described in the Animal Companion Trait.

TRAITS AND MOVES

ANIMAL HANDLER Every Animal Companion has a dedicated set of
Field Point: Skill Points: Traits and Moves you’ll find in later pages. An Animal
Society Charm Companion’s Traits and Moves, it goes without saying,
Eloquence can only be used when the animal is also present.
Trait: Care
Animal Companion Insight In Chapter I an Animal Handler can choose
Authority one Trait among the ones of their Vocation, or
Choose one Move: Fight among the ones of their Animal Companion.
Among the ones of your Will Similarly, as they advance through Chapters, they can
Animal Companion Caution choose whether to take on new Traits for themselves or
Elusion add Traits for their trusted Animal Companion.
Exploration
An Animal Handler cannot choose Profession-specific
Moves, but they can learn Moves for their Animal
Companion by choosing from their list.

r 70 s
 Pictured here, from left to right, top to bottom:
Zehra, a sluagh; Hannah, a fairy; Floyd, a boggart;
r 71 s and Pryscilla, an undine
 VETERINARIAN
Field Point: Skill Points: “How’s your paw doing today?
Academia Grace Looks like it’s all better already!”
Care
Choose one Trait: Culture Veterinarians are without a doubt the best known and
Physician, Kind Soul, or Investigation loved Animal Handlers of the Household, since their
one Trait of your Animal Athletics skilled hands can treat and heal our pet friends.
Companion Fight Some of these littlings take care of the extremely
Strength delicate bumblebeesthat compete in pageants. Others,
Will on the humbler side, live on farms and take care of
Caution working mice and beetles, but they’re just as loved
Dexterity anyway.

ARISTOCRAT
Field Point: Skill Points: “Everyone at court is arrogant and conceited...
Academia Art Only you understand me, little furball.”
Charm
Choose one Trait: Eloquence Every court is filled with false friends, pretenders in
Well-Mannered, Etiquette search of easy money, and social climbers of all kinds.
Polyglot, or one Trait of Grace As such, it’s not surprising that many nobles have a
your Animal Companion Culture trusted pet as their best friend, someone who loves
Investigation them for who they are, and not for their titles of
Authority nobility.
Elusion A shining example of this tradition is Viscount Oleg
Shoot Protopopolov, who spent his family inheritance to
build the Astraviya Zoological Garden.

RANCHER
Field Point: Skill Points: “Another hard day at work, huh?
War Care At least I have you here to help.”
Craft
Choose one Trait: Insight The great ranches and farms near Stairside and on the
Big and Strong, Investigation Carpet Plains have left a permanent mark on the land-
Pathfinder, or one Athletics scape of the House. Here, Ranchers toil and sweat to
Trait of your Animal Strength herd livestock, bringing them out to pasture, or keep-
Companion Caution ing them safe from wild beasts.
Dexterity These Animal Handlers would certainly stand no
Exploration chance of completing their hard work without the help
Shoot of a trusted friend!

r 72 s
 TRAINER
Field Point: Skill Points: “Come on, again f rom the top.
War Etiquette You’re doing great!”
Culture
Choose one Trait: Investigation Every army of the Household includes at least one
Tough as Nail, Authority battalion made up of highly trained animals and their
Braveheart, or one Fight Handlers. Among these four-or-more-legged soldiers
Trait of your Animal Strength there are the large mice of the Hearth cavalry, and
Companion Will the assault beetles of the Porcelain Army. But there
Dexterity are also the bumblebees of the Black Legion of the
Elusion Horde Army, and finally the silent geckos who help
Shoot the Sentries of the Great Imperial Army.

STREET PERFORMER
Field Point: Skill Points: “No, everyone was not looking at you.
Street Art They were looking at me! You’re such a diva...”
Grace
Choose one Trait: Care There are many Street Performers working in the
Gifted Performer, Craft biggest cities of the House, especially during the great
Acrobat, or one Trait of Insight festivals like Litha and Beltane.
your Animal Companion Investigation These acrobats, buskers, and roaming musicians can
Athletics always rely on a fun little pet to be the assistant – or
Fight even the star – in their show. The connection between
Dexterity these Animal Handlers and their companions is so
Elusion great that you can’t help but be enthralled!

TRAVELING MERCHANT
Field Point: Skill Points: “Come one, come all! We have wonders for show
Street Eloquence here! Great deals only!”
Etiquette
Choose one Trait: Craft Traveling Merchants who roam the House with their
Mediator, Perfect Liar, or Culture wares are a bit of an institution by now. Some of them
one Trait of your Animal Insight sell real treasures, found on their month-long adven-
Companion Investigation tures in remote regions. Others only want to stick you
Authority with worthless junk and baubles.
Will Anyway, all of them travel with an animal, usually
Caution a very large one. And how else could it be, when they
Shoot have to deal with the boredom of an endless solo trip?

r 73 s
 Beetle
Some Beetles are so small they can be carried on the
shoulder, others are almost as big as rats and can be rid-
den around. Some of them have small sharp horns, others
have scary protruding jaws. Some are green and brown
and earth-toned, others have a shiny metallic husk.
All of them are strong and sturdy Animal
Companions, and their penchant for discipline means
they are even used in the Soap Bubble station in
Astraviya and in the numismatic mines of the Vanity.

Animal Companion: Beetle

If you choose a Beetle as your Animal Companion, this
is how you might note them down in your equipment:

Pictured Here:
Beetle: Helpful to climb or break objects.
Cocco, a small beetle.

You have a Free Re-Roll whenever you and your Beetle

work together to attack or defend from an Opponent. BEETLE MOVES
If someone threatens you, roll a die. If the result is Hold the Ground
the Beetle will ignore all orders and charge head down All your friends gain +1 to their next Reaction Roll
to defend you. against an Opponent.

Avenge
BEETLE TRAITS After a failed Reaction Roll against an Opponent, you
Stern Presence deal them 1 Stress.
Thanks to your Beetle, you always have a Free Re-roll
when rolling to inspire or intimidate others. Endurance
A Character can either avoid suffering the Hurt
Broadback Condition, or avoid accumulating Stress because of an
The Beetle is big enough to be mounted. Opponent.
The Beetle is Helpful when carrying stuff, can
be used as Partial Cover to avoid bullets, but it is Flying Charge
Hindering when moving stealthily or in small spaces. The first time you attack an Opponent, you deal 1 ad-
ditional Stress.
Horns and Jaws
Your Beetle is Helpful to hoist, drag, or crash things. Smash
You also gain +1 to all Action Rolls made during a Either after you hit an Opponent, you can make a sec-
Brawl. ond Action Roll with -1, or you smash through a door
or wall.
Fierce
Thanks to your Beetle, and after you fill in your Crucial Ironclad Resistance
Box, you have +1 to your next Action or Reaction Roll. You or a friend automatically dodge some bullets, an
From then on, you ignore all Conditions until you heal attack, or a move of a Large, Huge, Giant or Flying
the Stress. Opponent without rolling the dice.

r 74 s
 Bumblebee
The ultimate emblem of beauty and elegance,
Bumblebees are wonderful Animal Companions, a big
hit in the halls of high society. In the Realm especially,
it’s common for nobles to own one of these pet bugs
and have them compete in beauty pageants or skill tests.

But there are also black Bumblebees, called Hornet

Bumblebees, and they are truly fearsome. In the Horde
there is even a whole battalion of these insects, known
as the Black Legion.

Animal Companion: Bumblebee

If you choose a Bumblebee as your Animal Companion,
this is how you might note them down in your equipment:

Pictured Here:
Bumblebee: Helpful to keep your balance Muffin, a cute Bumblebee
or retrieve small items. It allows you to hit
targets within Short Range as you would with
a Thrown Weapon.

You have a Free Re-Roll whenever you roll to hit BUMBLEBEE MOVES
from a distance with your Bumblebee. If there is any- Fly Like a Butterfly
thing sweet nearby, roll a die. If the result is the You can React against a Opponent by rolling Grace +1
Bumblebee will ignore all orders to fly to eat it. instead of the requested Skill.

Flying Help
A Character climbs a wall, keeps their balance, or
BUMBLEBEE TRAITS avoids the consequences of a fall without rolling dice.
Cute Little Antennae
Thanks to your Bumblebee, you always have a Free Cuteness Overload
Re-roll when rolling to charm or make a good impres- Either remove the Embarrassed or Frightened
sion on others. Condition from a Character, or cheer up someone.

Scary Jaws Sting like a Bee

Thanks to your Bumblebee, you always have a Free Re- An Opponent within Range suffers 1 Stress.
roll when rolling to intimidate or question somebody.
Inspire
Queen Bumblebee Give a Character +1 to their next Action Roll
The Bumblebee is Helpful when dealing with high
society, but Hindering in the slums. Hive Mind
After a friend has successfully passed a roll, you suc-
Sharp Sting ceed on the same roll without rolling dice.
The Bumblebee allows you to hit targets Within
Range as you would with a Ranged Weapon.

r 75 s
 Gecko
Of all the Animal Companions, Geckos are certainly
the most mischievous, and they often prove as smart
as they are sly!
Some train these reptiles to perform in traveling
shows, others even teach them how to steal from un-
fortunate passerby.

Recently there has been a large surge in the use of

Geckos as pets, thanks to the famous novel “The
Story of A Bumblebee and The Gecko Who Taught
Her To Fly”, which melted the hearts of many in the
Household.

Animal Companion: Gecko

If you choose a Gecko as your Animal Companion, this
is how you might note them down in your equipment:

Gecko: Helpful to distract, grab or hide small Pictured Here:

objects, or cheat at games. Jimmy, a small gecko.

You have a Free Re-Roll whenever you and your Gecko

try to steal something. If there is anything shiny near- GECKO MOVES
by, roll a die. If the result is , the Gecko will ignore Give a Sticky Hand
all orders and run to steal it and hide it in its mouth. Gain +1 to your next Roll.

Grab it
Steal or retrieve a small object.
GECKO TRAITS
Carnival Gecko Draw Attention
Thanks to your Gecko, you always have a Free Re-roll Either distract someone, or prevent a Character from
when rolling to dance or perform. suffering the Embarrassed Condition.

Extendable Tongue Snitch

Allows you to hit Close-by as you would with a Reach Either ask the Narrator for a clue or suggestion, or find
Weapon. an Opponent’s Weak Spot.

Camouflage Skin Slip Away

The Gecko Helps you hide and camouflage so long as A friend suffers the consequences of your failure in-
you stay still. stead of you.

Prehensile Tail Cheap Trick

The Gecko Helps you to pick locks, and to repair or After you hit a littling, you can make a second Action
build Gadgets. Roll with -1

r 76 s
 Mouse
Trusted travel companions and peerless hounds,
speedy mounts and loving guardians of farms, Mice
are certainly the best friend of any littling.

It was one of these rodents who bravely crossed the

Great Stairs to carry a load medicine destined for
Topridge. In his honor, they made a beautiful limescale
statue and placed it in one of the Tuberdam plazas for
all to see.

Animal Companion: Mouse

If you choose a Mouse as your Animal Companion, this
is how you might note them down in your equipment:
Pictured Here:
Ciabatta,
Mouse: Helpful to follow trails, recover a small mouse.
items, and find help.

You have a Free Re-Roll whenever you and your Mouse MOUSE MOVES
work together to find or follow a trail. A Mouse never Sniff Around
disobeys its handler’s orders. Either ask the Narrator for a clue or suggestion, or find
an Opponent’s Weak Spot.

Growl
MOUSE TRAITS You can React against an Opponent using Will +1,
Hound Mouse instead of the requested Skill.
Thanks to your Mouse, you always have a Free Re-roll
when rolling to sniff out lies or avoid an ambush. Lick the Wounds
Remove the Hurt or Frightened Condition from a
Reassuring Presence Character.
Thanks to your Mouse, you always have a Free Re-roll
when rolling to heal emotional Conditions or show Protect
courage. Either prevent a friend from suffering the Broken or
Hurt Condition, or save a friend from having to Bow
Saddle Mouse Out without spending a Joker.
The Mouse is big enough to be mounted.
The Mouse Helps you crash, move, or hoist heavy Slash
objects, but Hinders you when moving in small spaces. After you hit a Large, Huge, or Giant beast,you can
make a second Action Roll with -1.
Fang and Claws
You have a Free Re-Roll whenever you and your Mouse Warn of Danger
work to attack or defend from an Opponent. Either have a single Character avoid an ambush after a
failed roll, or, pull a Character out of dangerous situa-
tion, or make them leave combat.

r 77 s
 Professional S harpshooter

Traits
Professional Trait for Hunters
Gain a Free Re-roll for all rolls made with a ranged
weapon or firearm.
Additionally, you begin in Chapter I with a free fire-
M aster at A rms arm or ranged weapon of your choice.
Professional Trait for Soldiers
Choose a melee weapon. For example, a key, a
great-scissor, a cocktail spear, a piece of cutlery, etc. S wordfighter
You may not choose a dueling weapon or a keysket, as Professional Trait for Duelists
they are far to delicate for your combat needs. Choose a dueling weapon. For example, a pin, a needle,
a lancetta, or a dueling half-scissor.
Gain a Free Re-roll for all rolls that involve your cho-
sen weapon, as well as for all Action or Reaction Rolls Gain a Free Re-roll for all rolls that involve your cho-
in combat. sen weapon, as well as for all Action or Reaction Rolls
in combat.
Additionally, you begin Chapter I with a free weap-
K now - it - all on of your chosen type. It is an heirloom you have a
Professional Trait for Scholars strong connection with.
Gain a Free Re-roll whenever you’re trying to remem-
ber information about the House, its history, and the
famous littlings that inhabit it. S hadow
Professional Trait for Criminals
Gain a Free Re-roll whenever you’re trying to hide,
sneak, or tail someone through a city.

A nimal C ompanion
Professional Trait for Animal Handlers
Choose one Animal Companion between:

ӵ Bumblebee ӵ Gecko
ӵ Beetle ӵ Mouse

When you are with your Animal Companion, you are

always considered armed.
A Player can move their Character’s Animal
Companion freely, having them fulfill small tasks or
take simple actions, like distracting someone or stand-
ing watch.
Additionally, every Animal Companion can prove
Helpful in some circumstances and grant you Free
Re-rolls.

For additional information on Animal Companions,

refer to their respective paragraphs in this Section.

Pictured Here:
An undine soldier of the Porcelain Army. r 78 s
Pictured Here:
A sylph, a salamander,
and an undine.

r 79 s
 Traits E ngineer
Gain a Free Re-roll when trying to build or repair
something.
A crobat
Gain a Free Re-roll when performing acrobatics, or
breaking a fall. F orensic S cience
Gain +1 when analyzing a crime scene.

A lert
Gain a Free Re-Roll to avoid an ambush or a danger, F rom the G u t ter
or when you try to locate enemies. You know the slums, and you know your way around
criminals and their kind.
Gain a Free Re-roll when dealing with the slums.
B eastmaster
Gain a Free Re-roll for all Action or Reaction Rolls
made in combat against Large, Huge, or Giant beasts. G if ted P erformer
Choose an art form (ex: painting, dance, piano...)
Gain a Free Re-roll when performing in your chosen
B ig and S trong art form.
Gain +1 to lift, carry or break something.

H ard to K ill
B raveheart After you hit the Crucial Box, you gain +1 to your next
Gain +1 when you need to show courage or strong will. Action or Reaction Roll. From then on, you ignore all
Conditions until you heal the Stress.

B rawler
Gain a Free Re-roll and ignore Conditions during a H eartbreaker
Brawl. Gain a Free Re-roll when seducing.

C amouflage K ind S oul

Gain +1 when camouflaging in the wild. Gain +1 when you try to cheer someone up, or when
removing emotional Conditions (ex: Embarrassed).

C ounterfeiter
Gain +1 when you try to counterfeit something. L ibrarian
Gain +1 and ignore Conditions to look for information
inside a book or library, to read quickly, or to translate
D eadeye a text.
When using a firearm or ranged weapon, you ignore
all drawbacks from Partial Cover and the Nimble Trait
of Opponents. M aster A rtisan
Choose a craft (ex: carpentry, cooking, goldsmithing...)
Gain a Free Re-roll when dealing with your craft.

r 80 s
 P erfect L iar

Gaining a Trait Gain a Free Re-roll when lying.

In Chapter I, all Characters gain one P hysician

Profession-Specific Trait depending Gain a Free Re-roll whenever you’re trying to make a
on their Profession and one Trait of diagnosis, perform surgery, or heal physical Conditions
their choice among the ones included (like Hurt or Sick).
in their Vocation.

When they reach Chapter III and V, P icklock

Characters gain a new Trait of their Gain +1 to unlock doors or containers.
choice, which they can freely pick
from the list of Traits.
In the Advancement phase, Char- P ickpocket
acters cannot gain new Profes- Gain +1 to steal something from someone.
sion-Specific Traits.

P olyglot
You know two additional Languages.

S elfless
M ediator Gain a Free Re-roll when trying to help or save those
Gain +1 whenever you try to find a compromise or in need. If you fail, you take 1 additional Stress.
close a deal.

S ixth S ense
N ail T hrower Gain +1 to understand the intentions of a littling, to
Gain +1 to use throwing weapons. question, and to see through lies.

N atural B orn L eader T ough as a N ail

Gain +1 and ignore Conditions when inspiring or co- Gain +1 and ignore Conditions when intimidating or
ordinating others. resisting intimidation.

P anache W ell - mannered

Gain a Free Re-roll whenever you are trying to You know good manners and how to behave with no-
show elegance and posture, to increase your level of bles and dignitaries.
Decorum, or to act gracefully. Gain a Free Re-roll when dealing with high society.

P athfinder W ell -T rained

Gain +1 when looking for trails or trying to find your Gain a Free Re-roll when running, climbing or
bearings in the wild. swimming.

r 81 s
 “Uhm… Checkmate.”
-Again?!-
“Beginner’s luck.”
-All right, let’s play again.-
“Wouldn’t you rather do something else?”
-No, no, no. I demand a rematch.”
“Come now, it’s all about having fun…”
-We are not here to have fun, my friend. We are here to play!-

r 82 s
 IIII
How to Play
acting, reacting, facing conflicts, and living scenes you’ll remember

r 83 s
This game is an exciting back and forth between Narrator
and Players, who cooperate to recreate the story of some
littlings whose names never made it into the history
books. It is a fun experience that allow us to live great
Dice
adventures taking place in an exciting and romantic past. Household is meant to be played with
In this section I will rely on the help of a young bog- a special type of six-sided dice.
gart troublemaker named Jacob and his friends who, Each face on our Household dice
for your convenience, will be the protagonists of some is decorated with a different colored
useful examples. symbol to make it easier to recognize
Successes.
Narrator: Everything in Astraviya shines with
the reflected light of the Great Window. Walking These personalized dice are not
along the streets of the capital, your eyes are needed to play, but they make for a
captured by many colorful shops. more tailored experience.

Jacob: “Are you sure this is the right place?”

I ask my salamander friend. My eyes focus on the
window of a bakery, mouth watering.

Lazarus: I keep strolling with my hands in my

pockets.
“Trust me, my contact was very thorough”.

Narrator: And right as the words leave your

mouth, you notice an upstanding military-look-
ing fairy leaving a shop. There’s no mistake, it’s a
soldier of the Great Imperial Army.

Lazarus: “What did I tell you?” I elbow Jacob to

make him notice the soldier. DICE ROLLS
When an action carries a risk, or when it can lead to
Jacob: “You think it’s him?” I check to see if important Consequences that would influence the de-
the soldier is carrying the key we’re looking to... velopment of the story, then it’s time for you to roll
borrow “You didn’t tell me he’d be a soldier”. the dice.
There are two kinds of dice rolls in this game:
Narrator: The fairy puts his helmet back on,
checking his reflection in a shop window. As he Ӵ Action Rolls: For these rolls, you are the
twirls his mustache, you notice a small golden key one who states the Action, and you can freely
hanging from his belt. It looks shiny. choose the Field and Skill you’ll call into play.
Ӵ Reaction Rolls: For these rolls, the
Lazarus: I grin toward the boggart “What? You Narrator asks you to React to a specific event,
want to give up?” calling into play a specific Field and Skill.

Jacob: I rub my hands, it’s chilly up here on the In the upcoming pages, you’ll find everything you need
Table. Then I look at Lazarus “Mind buying me to know before you face dice rolls.
a candied mushroom? I won’t be a minute.”

r 84 s
 Game Terms Ӵ Paragraph: a self-contained adventure.
Paragraphs can be composed of one or more
To explain the rules of the game, I use a specific set of Sessions.
terms.
Let me illustrate: Ӵ Chapter: a year of adventures. Chapters can
be composed of one or more Paragraphs.
Ӵ Player: a person playing the role of a This book allows you to play through 5
Character in the story. Chapters, as described in Section VIII “Saga”.

Ӵ Narrator: the person leading the game

and story, they play the role of Secondary
Characters and Opponents.

Ӵ Character: the littling being played by a

Player, a protagonist of the story.

Ӵ Character Sheet, also simply “Sheet”:

the historical document used to keep track of
everything you know about your Character.

Ӵ Roll: a dice roll.

Ӵ Dice Pool: the group of dice used

for a roll.

Ӵ Card Suits: The symbols most commonly

associated with playing card. These are:
Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.

Ӵ Action: what a Character does on their

turn. Examples are: talking to someone,
running, or reading a letter.

Ӵ Turn: every Player may take one action

every turn. When everyone has acted, the
next turn begins.

Ӵ Scene: a small building block of the story.

This could be an escape, a duel, or an import-
ant dinner.

Ӵ Session: also “Gaming Session”, is an

occasion when you and your friends come
together to play.

Pictured Here:
An exuberant portrait of
Herasmo J. Hemingway

r 85 s
 Action Rolls GOAL & APPROACH
Before making an Action Roll, it’s important that you
When you attempt an action with an uncertain out- define your Goal and the Approach you want to use
come or when you try to overcome an obstacle stand- to reach it.
ing between you and your goal, you have to make an
Action Roll. To do this, you just have to answer two simple questions:
Trying to evade a gendarme standing guard at a door,
climbing a tall wall, or interrogating a littling trying to Ӵ What do I want to achieve?
hide important information, these are all examples of The answer to this question will help you
situations that require an Action Roll. define your Goal.
Avoiding the gendarmes, Persuading a
Narrator: The soldier starts walking, he seems littling, Finding a clue, these are all good
to be heading in your direction. The small key on examples of Goals.
his belt jingles with every step. Having a clear Goal helps the Narrator de-
cide the best Consequences for a Success or
Jacob: I start walking in his direction as well, Failure. If you successfully pass the roll, you’ll
acting nonchalantly. I want to try to steal the key. have reached your Goal. If not, something
probably went wrong.
Narrator: As you get closer, you notice the
soldier is looking around, guarded. To swipe the Ӵ How do I want to achieve it?
key, you’ll have to make an Action Roll. The answer to this question will help you
define your Approach.
When you make an Action Roll, the result of your Hiding behind a mushroom, Fluttering my
action is determined by the roll of a small pool of eyelashes, Looking around, these are all
six-sided dice. The number of dice in your pool is good examples of Approaches.
determined by the number of points you have in the Carefully describing your Approach will
Field and Skill relevant for the task. allow you to easily determine the Field and
Skill used in your Action Roll.
But first things first. For example, to hide you might roll Elusion
+ Street, to seduce, you might roll Charm
+ Society, and to search, you might roll
Investigation + Academia.
MAKING AN
ACTION ROLL Jacob: My goal is to take the key away from the
Making an Action Roll is quite easy, and it will soon soldier without being noticed. Once he’s close
come naturally to you. To get the hang of it, follow enough, I will stretch out my hand and try to get
these steps: hold of the key and pull it off his belt.
To make this sleight of hand swipe, I roll
Ӵ The Player states their Goal Dexterity + Street.
Ӵ The Player explains their Approach
Ӵ The Narrator determines the Difficulty Remember that Skills are listed under the Field they
Ӵ Add up the Dice and any Modifiers are most often associated with, but you can always
Ӵ The Player Rolls the Dice and tallies up the choose to use any Skill with any Field.
Successes For example, when you try to attack someone sneak-
Ӵ The Narrator describes the Consequences of ily by striking them from the back, you can roll Fight
the roll + Street.

r 86 s
 DECIDING THE DIFFICULTY Narrator: The soldier looks around, they
The Difficulty level indicates how much of a hurdle an appear extremely wary of any suspicious move.
Action Roll is. Swiping the key will be a Critical Action Roll.

There are four levels of Difficulty: Basic rolls are small every-day challenges that can be
useful to liven up the game and create small setbacks,
Ӵ Basic: Climbing over a wall, bargaining for especially during the early Chapters.
a ride, or stealing a key from a distracted Critical rolls are the beating heart of the game, they
gendarme. are actions that really make a difference.
Ӵ Critical: Seducing a standoffish noble, Extreme rolls, on the other hand, are rare events, which
performing an elaborate dance, or wounding a represent a great challenge even for expert littlings.
large insect. Finally, Impossible rolls are called impossible for a rea-
Ӵ Extreme: Convincing a sworn enemy to son: if you ever end up facing one, I suggest you take a
cooperate, translating a book in a forgotten good hard look at your choices.
language, or picking the lock to the safe of a When managing especially complex situations, the
bank. Narrator may also ask you to make rolls with Multiple
Ӵ Impossible: Riding a giant centipede Difficulties, such as Critical + Basic, or 2 Basic.
through the Inbetweens, disagreeing with the
Tsarina, or arm-wrestling with Bravespine, In all confidence, most of the rolls you’ll have to make
losing, and still keeping your arm. Which, in will be either Basic or Critical, while Extreme rolls
all confidence, is more than crazy! should be placed carefully, and Impossible rolls should
be more unique than rare!
The Narrator is tasked with determining the Difficulty
of a roll and, if they have any doubt, they can also dis-
cuss the options with the Players.
In any case, the Narrator is not required to dis-
close the Difficulty level of a roll, they can choose
to keep it secret to heighten the suspense.

Pictured Here:
The difficulty of rolls
as clarified by littlings

r 87 s
 THE DICE POOL
The number of dice in your pool is determined by the
sum of the points you have in the Field and Skill in- One for three,
volved in the roll.
For example, if you’re making an Action Roll with
Eloquence + Society, you’ll have a dice pool composed
three for one!
of one die for every point you have in Eloquence plus 1 Success of a higher kind is worth as
one die for every point in Society. much as 3 lower Successes.
This means you can use 1 Critical
Jacob: I have 2 in Street and 3 in Dexterity. Success as 3 Basic, 1 Extreme Success
So, I make the Action Roll with 5 dice. as 3 Critical, and 1 Impossible Success
as 3 Extreme Successes.
Positive or negative circumstances, Traits, Aces,
Conditions, and Equipment can all Modify your chanc- Similarly, 3 Successes of a lower kind
es of Success. Each +1 adds a die to your pool, while are worth as much as a higher Success.
each -1 subtracts one. All things considered, remember This means you can combine 3 Basic
you can never roll less than 2 or more than 9 dice. Successes into 1 Critical, 3 Critical
Successes into 1 Extreme, and so on.

SUCCESS
After rolling the dice, you tally up your Successes.
You score a Success when two or more of the dice
show the same side, regardless of which side it is. Jacob: I rolled :
a Critical Success!
There are five levels of Success: With a quick move of my hand, I get hold of
the key
Ӵ Basic Success: Two of a kind.
Ӵ Critical Success: Three of a kind. Narrator: The key is safe in your nimble hands.
Ӵ Extreme Success: Four of a kind. The soldier didn’t even notice, he just walks away
Ӵ Impossible Success: Five of a kind. without looking at you twice. It’s a perfect crime.
Extremely rare.
Ӵ Jackpot!: Six or more of a kind. Even rarer If you score more Successes than needed, you can use
than impossible! the extra Successes to complete extra actions. If you
score a lower Success than needed, you can discuss
For example, if you roll 4 dice and get you with the Narrator how you can partially mitigate the
have two , which means you scored a Basic Success. consequences of your Failure.
If you roll 5 dice and get you got Finally, if you score a higher Success than needed,
yourself three , a Critical Success! the Narrator can grant you additional benefits, or an
outcome even better than what you wanted.
To pass a Basic roll, you need a Basic Success and to
pass an Extreme roll, you need an Extreme Success. If you score a Jackpot! you have the right to take con-
Two are worth just as much as two , and three trol of the game and freely describe an action or scene
as much as three . The suit makes no difference. that ends up with you and your friends achieving what
you wanted. You earned this moment in the spotlight.

r 88 s
 RE-ROLLS FREE RE-ROLLS
If, after rolling the dice, you have scored at least one Some Traits grant you Free Re-rolls when acting in a
Basic Success, you can choose to Re-roll. certain way or under specific circumstances.
Re-rolling drastically increases your chances of
Success, and this means you should think about Re- A Free Re-roll takes the place of your normal Re-roll
rolling whenever you get a chance. and offers two important advantages:

When Re-rolling, you take all dice that weren’t part of Ӵ When you make a Free Re-roll you never
a Success and roll them again. risk losing your initial Successes, regardless of
It is important to remember you cannot choose whether the Re-roll gets you a better or extra
which dice to keep and which ones to re-roll. You al- Success or not.
ways have to keep all dice that are part of a Success and Ӵ You can make a Free Re-roll even if you score
re-roll all the others. no Successes on your first roll.

For example, if you roll 5 dice and get Honestly, if you have anything granting you a Free
you can choose to keep the two and re-roll the Re-roll, you have no reason not to Re-roll every time
other 3 dice as they are not part of any Success. you can.
If you roll 6 dice and get you can
only re-roll the 2 dice that are not already part of a
Success, the two and two cannot be re-rolled.
Z
“You miss all the shots
If, after a Re-roll, you scored a better or additional
you never take!”
Success, you can feel satisfied that the risk you took
Lazarus Malachiorre
paid off.

On the other hand if your Re-roll did not result in

Z
a better or additional Success, you lose one of the
Successes from your initial roll. You choose which.
ALL IN
For example, if you roll and choose to If, after a Re-roll or a Free Re-roll, you got a better
Re-roll, you must re-roll the two dice that weren’t part result than on your first roll, you can still choose to go
of the initial pair of and try to get another or a All In.
new two of a kind. Otherwise, you have to give up even This means you can roll again all dice that weren’t
your initial Basic Success. part of a Success, much like you would for a normal
Re-roll.
Jacob: I rolled . The Basic
Success is not enough, and so I Re-roll. If you manage to get a better or extra Success, that
becomes your new result.
Narrator: Very good. You can take the 3 dice
that are not part of a Success and re-roll them. However, if you do not get any better or extra Success,
you lose all previous Successes and have to face a ter-
Jacob: My new result is rible Failure.
. Hurray! I finally have the Critical Success I
needed to steal the key.

r 89 s
 MODIFIERS +3. Similarly, they can impose -1s whenever you act
Before rolling the dice, there can be a number of rashly or in adverse circumstances, up to a total of -3.
Modifiers that make your chances of success better or
worse. Bear in mind that you can never roll more than 9 or less
A positive modifier (+1) adds one die to your pool, than 2 dice, regardless of the number of +1s and -1s.
while a negative modifier (-1) subtracts one.

Traits, Moves, Contracts, and Aces can all grant you

+1 in specific circumstances or when taking specific RAISING THE STAKES
actions. Similarly, Conditions can impose a -1. Even if you scored a Success, the Narrator can decide
For example, the Trait Big and Strong grants you to Raise the Stakes and invite you to Re-roll in ex-
+1 whenever you roll to lift, carry, or break something, change for an even better result.
while the Hurt Condition imposes -1 to all rolls made
in the Field of War. For example, you’re trying to bribe an official and get
Equipment, Animal Companions, Secondary the Basic Success needed to succeed. The Narrator
Characters, Experiences, and Memories can also be Raises the Stakes: if you Re-roll and gain a better
either Helpful or Hindering and thus add positive or Success, on top of bribing the official, they will also
negative modifiers to your dice pool. disclose confidential information to you as evidence of
their good faith.
The Narrator can also grant you +1s whenever you act Now it’s up to you to decide: you can either Re-roll
keenly or in favorable circumstances, up to a total of or settle for your honest Success.

r 90 s
 FAILURE Ӵ Negative Consequences: The Character
If you don’t score the needed Success with your dice only gains a partial or temporary Success, or
roll, not even after the Re-roll, it means you Failed unwittingly causes an accident. The un-
your Action Roll. pleasant consequences of their action can be
immediately apparent, or come back to haunt

Z them later.
“You persuade the Duchess but her son
Every failure is understands that you’re lying. He’ll keep an
a new discovery eye on you from now on.”

Wise Paracelsus Ӵ Success at a Cost: The Character

Z still gains a Success, but they also suffer
a Condition, or lose Coins, Decorum, or
Remember that Failure is never a disastrous event that Equipment.
grinds the game to a halt and stops the story from pro- “You barely manage to climb on the mush-
gressing. Quite the opposite. room but, once on top, you realize that your
Failure is just a different path to Success. An unsa- clothes got very dirty. You lose one level of
vory, windy path, certainly. But a path nonetheless. Decorum.”

I know this well. After all, the reason I arrived where I Ӵ A Different Way: The Character does
am today, if we can say I have arrived anywhere at all, is not get the success they hoped for, but their
not because of a streak of successes. Rather, I collected failure allows them to notice an important
failures and never stopped moving forward. clue or a different way to reach their goal.
Alternatively, they can create a new oppor-
Jacob: I rolled . Cripes, not even tunity for the story to progress. Usually this
a Success. different way is harder, longer, or riskier than
the first.
Narrator: With a quick dart of your hand, you “The gendarme stands in your way and push-
grab the key from the soldier’s belt. es you back on the ground. You fall painfully
For a second, it seems that you’ve made it... Then on your back but, as you stand back up, you
a distracted littling bumps into you, and the key notice a small window in the back.”
slips between your fingers.
Ӵ Suffering Stress: The Character gains
As the littling tips their hat and makes their an awkward or hazardous Success, but they
heart-felt apology, you see the key getting kicked also suffer Stress. When the failure is tied to
away from a passerby and through an iron gate. dangerous situations that put the Character’s
You lift your eyes to see a golden sign: Great health at risk, or when it runs the risk of
Imperial Army Garrison. stopping or derailing the story, the best
solution is to give the Character some Stress.
A good Narrator should always strive to describe “Mid-leap you realize you’ll never make it
Failures that won’t grind the story to a halt, but instead to the other side of the chasm. With great
will give it new chances to proceed in a direction that effort you manage to grab onto the edge and
is unexpected and engaging. painfully pull yourself up. You reached your
destination, but you also suffer 3 Stress.”
Whenever you’re describing the result of a Failure,
choose one or more Consequences:

On the left:
A ball in the Highlight Chandelier. r 91 s
 EXTRA ACTIONS Jacob: After grabbing the key, I step away from
You can spend extra Successes to take extra Actions the soldier without being noticed. I see a pot of
on your turn. molds just outside a nearby shop and drop the key
For Example, if you’re making a Basic Action Roll in there. I can come back for it later, but if anyone
to find a book on the shelves of a huge library, and searches me in the meantime, they’ll find nothing.
you roll 2 Basic Successes, you can spend the second
Success to start reading the book, to throw it into the
hands of a friend who knows how to translate it, or
maybe to hide it in your bag without being noticed. GIVING AWAY A SUCCESS
When you get Extra Successes, you can also choose to
Jacob: I rolled . One Critical Give Away a Success to a friend, so as to allow them to
Success and one Basic. pass the Action Roll without rolling the dice.
For example, let’s say you and a friend both have to
Narrator: Great. With the Critical Success you climb on a tall mushroom. The Narrator establishes
can pass your Action Roll and steal the key from that this task is an Action Roll with Basic Difficulty. If
the soldier. How do you want to use your Basic you gain 2 Basic Successes, you can choose to use the
Success? first for yourself and give the second to your friend.
You outstretch a hand and hoist them up, or maybe you
Here are some examples of Basic and Critical extra give them specific instructions on where to put their
Actions that might come in handy as you play: feet. Either way, you’ve helped them out.
However, you can not give away lower successes
Ӵ Basic Action examples this way. For example, if your friend needs a Critical
Picking up one item Success, you can not give them a Basic Success.
Hiding
Hitting a Basic Opponent
Breaking a small object
Eavesdropping on a conversation
Reading a couple pages
Reaching Partial Cover
Jumping over an obstacle
Throwing something
Taking a blind shot

Ӵ Critical Action examples

Stealing an item
Throwing enemies off your tracks
Hitting a Critical Opponent
Kicking in a door
Finding an important clue
Translating an ancient text
Reloading a weapon
Jumping out of a window
Earning someone’s trust
Reaching Total Cover Pictured Here:
The Marquis
Tristan des Larmes
offering his help.

r 92 s
 Reaction Rolls
When you have to react promptly to an external event,
when someone or something acts against you, or
Who reacts?
when you need to avoid unpleasant circumstances, the Usually, all Players involved in a spe-
Narrator can ask you to make a Reaction Roll. cific event are called on make the
For example, the Narrator could ask you for a Reaction Roll needed to preempt or
Reaction Roll to notice the dangerous insect that has avoid it.
been stalking you, to catch a hidden clue, to dodge the
projectiles flying in your direction, or to answer an un- In some cases, the Narrator might de-
comfortable question while you are being interrogated. termine that only one or some of the
Players are part of a Reaction Roll.
Narrator: The soldier you stole from brings his For example, if the group is following
hand to his belt and, with a look of dread, realizes a guide through the Inbetweens, the
the key is not there. He promptly looks around to Narrator might decide that the guide is
find the thief. the only one who makes the Reaction
To avoid the inquiring gaze of the soldier you Roll to notice a hidden danger.
need to pass a Basic Reaction Roll. Roll Elusion
+ Street.

Reaction Rolls are very similar to Action Rolls, but

with some key differences.

DIFFICULTY OF A
REACTION ROLL
GOAL & APPROACH Just like Action Rolls, Reaction Rolls are also classified
When you make a Reaction Roll, the Goal is always in four Difficulty levels:
established by the Narrator.
In most cases, the Narrator is also tasked with de- Ӵ Basic: Dodging an object, avoiding some-
termining the Approach you must take to successfully one’s eye, or noticing a suspicious noise.
pass the roll. Ӵ Critical: Preempting an ambush, seeing
For example, if a centipede is laying low to stalk you, through a scam, parrying an attack, or bracing
the Narrator can ask you to roll Caution + Street to see for a fall.
if you can notice the hidden danger. Ӵ Extreme: Answering a history question
without having opened the books, avoiding
In some cases, the Narrator might allow Players to react the charge of a Giant Centipede, or acting
freely, choosing their own Approach to the situation. with valor and courage in the face of a
For example, if an impostor is trying to dupe you by desperate situation.
pretending to be a noble from the Horde, the Narrator Ӵ Impossible: Resisting against a Household
can allow you to choose how you wish to react. In this Force, fully understanding the words of Wise
case, you could roll Insight + Society to try and see Paracelsus, or hearing Capitano Rodomonte’s
through their lies, or Culture + Academia to recall by footsteps. Which, in all confidence, are easier
memory the entire family tree of the family they claim said than done!
to be a part of.
As before, the Narrator does not necessarily have to
disclose the Difficulty level before your roll.

r 93 s
 SUCCESS Whenever you’re describing the result of a Failure to
As usual, if you get a Success equal or greater than a Reaction Roll, choose one or more Consequences:
the Difficulty of the Reaction, you successfully pass the
roll. Here too, as with Action Rolls, you can choose to Ӵ Accidents: The Character misses a crucial
Re-roll, Free Re-roll, and go All-in if you want. detail, ends up in an unpleasant or unfavor-
able situation, or causes an accident they will
Getting a higher Success than needed will grant you have to deal with later on.
additional advantages or an even better result. “You confidently answer all the question the
Getting a lower Success allows you to at least limit Colonel poses to you, and they don’t realize
the consequences of the Failure, at the discretion of you are lying. However, there is a young
the Narrator. soldier who noticed your strange accent...”

You can spend extra Successes to take extra Actions on Ӵ A Price to Pay: The Character suffers
your turn, or Give Away a Success to a friend to allow a Condition, or loses Coins, Decorum, or
them to pass the Reaction Roll without rolling the dice. Equipment.
For example, if you make a Reaction Roll with Basic “At first, nothing seems amiss, but as you go
Difficulty to dodge an object and score two Basic to check, you realize you are several Coins
Successes, you can use the second Success to grab the short.”
object mid-air, or pull one of your friends back to pre-
vent them from being hit. Ӵ Danger: The Character draws a grave
danger or a fearsome Opponent. Either way,
Jacob: I rolled . 2 Basic Successes! their next Reaction Roll will come with the
I’ll use my first Success to disappear into the risk of taking a lot of Stress.
crowd without being seen. “You head on, thinking the coast is clear.
And with my second Success, I push a passerby to Suddenly, you hear a noise, and when you
the ground without being noticed. I want to create turn it’s already too late. You fell into a
a distraction so I can sneak into the garrison. spider’s trap. Prepare to React!”

Ӵ Suffering Stress: The Character gains an

undeserved or partial Success, while suffering
FAILURE Stress. You should opt to give stress when the
If you don’t score the needed Success with your dice Character’s reaction puts them in danger of
roll, not even after Re-rolling, it means you Failed the physical or direct harm, when the failure runs
Reaction Roll. the risk of stopping or derailing the story, or
Here too, the consequences of a Failure are never so when the consequences would be unsatisfying
harsh that they grind the story to a halt, instead they and not memorable.
should encourage the development of an unpredictable “The beetle charges you with open wings
and engaging plot. and you manage to dodge them just barely.
However, its sharp horn hits your legs and
Jacob: I rolled . A wonderful Failure. forcefully pushes you to the ground. You’re
lucky to come out of this with a couple of
Narrator: After carefully looking around the scratches! You suffer 3 Stress.”
crowd, the soldier notices you. He shouts “STOP!
THIEF!” then he pulls out a heavy Spoon and
starts start walking threateningly toward you.

r 94 s
 EXAMPLES OF REACTION ROLLS
Examples of War Reactions
Here are some examples of Reaction Rolls, divided by
Field. Ӵ The enemy grabs their weapons and attacks
These examples might be useful to a budding Narrator you. Roll Fight + War to defend yourself.
trying to understand the game or be used as inspiration
to make your scenes richer, and more unpredictable. Ӵ The duelist slashes downward at you with
their pin, but it’s only a feint to throw you off.
Roll Insight + War to preempt their move.
Examples of Society Reactions
Ӵ A Glass falls to the ground and starts rolling
Ӵ Still talking, the countess darts in between set toward you at high speed. Roll Athletics +
tables and overloaded waiters. Roll Grace + War to run.
Society to keep up with her without making
a mess. Ӵ The rat screams and sharpens its claws. Soon
enough, two even bigger rodents come to join
Ӵ The merchant tries to shortchange you for it. Roll Will + War to not give in to fear.
your goods. Roll Insight + Society to realize
they’re scamming you.
Examples of Street Reactions
Ӵ A Viletian noble invites you to their table. Roll
Etiquette + Society to use the correct fork. Ӵ The soldiers have had enough. They shoulder
their rifles and shoot at you. Roll Elusion +
Ӵ The captain asks you an uncomfortable ques- Street to hide or dodge.
tion which could betray your true intentions.
Roll Elusion + Society to change the topic. Ӵ In the middle of your stunt on the tightrope,
a bored littling throws a big grain of pepper
at you. Roll Grace + Street to regain your
Examples of Academia Reactions balance and avoid losing face.

Ӵ The emir asks what was the last play you saw Ӵ The gendarmes found your hiding spot
at the local theater. Roll Art + Academia to and are setting up an ambush for you. Roll
give a reasonable answer. Caution + Street to notice their position.

Ӵ Your animal companion is eating a colorful Ӵ The spider moves quickly through the tunnels
mushroom. Roll Exploration + Academia to of the Inbetweens, hunting for you. Suddenly,
realize it’s very bad for them. it’s right above you and forces you to hunker
down in a hole. Roll Will + Street to hold
Ӵ The professor makes a convoluted argument your breath and remain perfectly still.
which concludes with a trick question trying
to catch you off-guard. Roll Caution +
Academia to avoid falling for his set-up.

Ӵ The machine begins puffing and jolting. Roll

Strength + Academia to loosen the valves
before it explodes.

r 95 s
Pictured Here: r 96 s
A salamander and an undine about to fall
into the trap of a huntsman spider.
 Stress Jacob: I jump to the mushroom. I roll Athletics +
War and get . No Success.
Stress allows you to keep track of your current physical
and emotional conditions. Narrator: You jump toward the mushroom and
The scrapes and bruises, the exhaustion, the tension barely grab the edge of the cap. Unfortunately,
and fear you accumulate on your adventure, these will it’s in really bad shape and it suddenly breaks off,
all be represented by Stress. causing you to fall. You suffer 3 Stress.

The Narrator can choose to impose Stress as a conse- When the consequences of failing a roll include suf-
quence of a Failure. fering Stress, the Narrator should always inform the
You suffer Stress when you fail an Action or Reaction Players of the Difficulty of the roll.
Roll that puts you at risk of being hurt or found out,
or when the consequences of your failure could lead to Furthermore, the Narrator can give such rolls Multiple
an impossible, unsatisfying, or uninteresting situation. Difficulties, like Critical + Basic, 2 Basic, or Extreme +
For example, if you fail a Reaction Roll to dodge Critical. When this happens, you still have to pass the
some projectiles, you won’t necessarily become badly task with a single roll of the dice.
hurt, rather, you may suffer small injuries or a great For example, in order to pass a roll with difficulty
shock, which will translate into Stress. When you fail level Critical + Basic, you must score one Critical
an Action Roll to hide from the gendarmes as you’re Success and one Basic Success with the same roll. If
attempting the heist of a lifetime, you won’t necessarily you only score a Basic Success, you suffer 3 Stress, and
get found out, but you will accumulate Stress to repre- if you only score a Critical Success, you suffer 1 Stress.
sent the rising tension and exhaustion.

OVERSTRESSED
SUFFERING STRESS When you suffer an amount of Stress equal to higher
Whenever you fail an Action or Reaction Roll which than the number of free Stress boxes on your sheet,
results in you suffering Stress, you have to fill in a set you must fill in all the boxes. From then on you are
number of Stress boxes on your Sheet. Overstressed.
In all confidence, so long as you have at least one
The amount of Stress you suffer depends on the empty Stress box, you can feel relatively safe. Whatever
Difficulty of the roll you Failed: the extent of your next Failure, the worst that can hap-
pen to you is to become Overstressed.
Ӵ Basic Failure: You suffer 1 Stress
Ӵ Critical Failure: You suffer 3 Stress Jacob: I’m already at 10 Stress. Adding these 3,
Ӵ Extreme Failure: You suffer 9 Stress I no longer have any empty boxes. Cripes, I’m
Ӵ Impossible Failure: You fill in all Stress Overstressed!
boxes. You are Overstressed
When you’re Overstressed, you can take no more
Narrator: As you emerge from the Inbetweens, Stress, from then on, you should seriously begin to
you realize you are high up. Between you and the worry about your health.
Floor there is a drop of several tiny meters. In
front of you there’s a tall, rotten mushroom. To If, for any reason, you suffer more Stress, you will have
leap to it you’ll have to make a Critical Action to Bow Out until the next Chapter... Unless one of
Roll. your friends has a Joker that they can use to save you
at the last moment.

r 97 s
 DAMAGE CONTROL REMOVING STRESS
When you are facing a roll that could result in you suf- There are three ways to remove Stress:
fering Stress and fail to score the Success you need, you
can use any smaller Successes to do Damage Control. Ӵ A Well-deserved Rest: You can remove
We call the small actions you can take that are not all Stress after having a nice sleep, a good
enough to gain a success, but still enough to avoid at long rest, or a delicious refreshing meal.
least some of the Stress from the Failure, Damage This can happen when you go back to town
Control. and stay at home or in a hotel, or when you’re
out camping around a fire in the wild.
You can use one Basic Success to avoid suffering “After a good night’s sleep, you feel much bet-
1 Stress, and a Critical Success to avoid suffering 3 ter. Remove all Stress you had accumulated.”
Stress. You cannot do Damage Control when you’re
facing an Impossible Roll. Ӵ A Moment’s Respite: After a Scene has
ended, after you faced a long series of dangers,
For example, if you fail a Critical Action Roll to jump or when you finally come to a safe place, the
down from a balcony to escape your pursuers, you may Narrator can grant you a Moment’s Respite,
use a Basic Success to try crashing into the roof of a allowing all Players to get rid of accumulated
market stall below to soften the impact. This means Stress. A time skip is another perfect moment
you only suffer 2 points of Stress instead of 3. to give Players a Moments Respite.
“Leaving the Inbetweens behind, you finally
Jacob: I jump to the mushroom. I roll Athletics + enjoy a Moment’s Respite. Remove all Stress.”
War and get . Only a Basic Success.
Ӵ At the End of a Paragraph: You remove
Narrator: The Basic Success is not enough to all Stress when you finish a Paragraph or
make this Critical Action, but it can do some Chapter.
Damage Control. You fall on a soft pile of mold “End of Chapter II. You can remove all
and only suffer 2 Stress instead of 3. Stress.”

Pictured Here:
A boggart dealing with
some pesky roaches.

r 98 s
 CRUCIAL BOX Jacob: I rolled , but that’s not
The eighth Stress box looks different from the others, enough.
that is because it is a Crucial Box. I try to wiggle out with all I have, but I keep
When you fill in the Crucial Box, it means that the sinking.
Stress is beginning to get to you. You immediately suf-
fer a Condition appropriate to the circumstances, as Narrator: The quickmold slowly pulls you
determined by the Narrator. down, until you vanish under the sludge. The
For example, if you fill in the Crucial Box because of small bubbles that break the surface are all that’s
a Failure in the Society Field, the Narrator could de- left of you. I’m sorry, but you Bow Out.
cide you now suffer from the Embarrassed Condition.
If you’re in the War Field, on the other hand, you could
become Hurt.
PLAYING A JOKER
There are Traits, Contracts, and Equipment that allow If you have a Joker, you can play it to step in at the last
you to make the most of the Crucial Box, turning it second and stop one of your friends from having to
into an important ally on your adventures. Bow Out.

Here is an example: Lazarus: I play the Joker to save Jacob.

When everything seems lost, I grab a rope and
H ard to K ill dive in the quickmold.
After you hit the Crucial Box, you gain +1 to your
next Action or Reaction Roll. From then on, you Narrator: With a heroic feat you vanish under
ignore all Conditions until you heal the Stress. the sludge... and resurface victorious with Jacob
in your arms. That was a close call!

Remember: you cannot play a Joker to save yourself.

BOWING OU T
Bowing Out means your Character has reached a point
where they’re unable to interact with the others and
the story. RETURNING ON THE SCENE
This could mean that they were found out or caught, If you had to Bow Out, you can discuss with the
that they fell down a ravine or got lost in the Inbetweens, Narrator how you will Return on the Scene at the be-
or that they were presumed lost or even dead. ginning of the next Chapter.
Maybe you escaped from prison, or found your way
Player and Narrator can discuss together to choose out of the Inbetweens after weeks, or months. Maybe
what was the fate of the Character. In all confidence, you made a miraculous return after everyone believed
it’s always best to leave a curtain of mystery surrounding you were lost or dead.
the way a Character Bows Out, so that you can begin
planning their Return on the Scene right away. In some situations, if it works with the story, the
Narrator can even allow a Character to Return on the
Narrator: You’re already Overstressed, but Scene at the start or end of a Paragraph.
there are more dangers yet. The Narrator can even have a Character Return on
It turns out that the spongy ground that softened the Scene during the next Session, but only if this is
your fall is actually a patch of quickmold. Slowly coherent with the story and if the entire Session is
but surely, you begin to sink. Make a Critical based on this. For example, if the other Characters go
Reaction Roll using Strength + War. look for them or set them free.

r 99 s
 Society Charm
Use Charm whenever you’re trying appear striking,
You are in the Field of Society when you interact with pleasant, elegant, or neat. Charm allows you to seduce
other littlings trying to influence them or avoid being littlings or make a good impression.
influenced. When you move in civilized society or at Your Charm doesn’t represent your physical beauty.
worldly events. And when you are dealing with po- Rather, it represents your ability in playing your hand
lite society, rely on your amiability, or on your good to earn the sympathies of others.
manners.
All rolls made to persuade, mislead, bargain, or in- Eloquence
spire others are made in the Field of Society, as are the Use Eloquence to sway, persuade, bargain, or deceive
rolls made to resist such actions. others with your silver tongue. Alternatively, you can
use it to talk to a crowd or in front of a large audience.
For example, when you approach someone to gain in- With enough Eloquence you can change the opinion
formation, when you take part in a ball, when you try of a littling and resolve a situation without having to
to guess a littling's social status, when you pretend to resort to violence.
be someone else, or when you evaluate a beautiful dress
or artistic performance, you are always in the Field of Etiquette
Society. Use Etiquette to show your perfectly polite manners.
When you bow down deep or make a perfect curtsy,
Art when you choose the right fork or give a tasteful gift,
Use Art whenever you are performing in a dance, at when you interact with uptight or noble littlings, and
a concert, or in a theatrical play with the intent of when you act in accordance with the traditions of
charming others, of proving your skill, or of distracting another Folk, in all these situations, you can rely on
the public. Etiquette.
You can also use Art to create, recognize, or evaluate
art pieces of any kind, or to make a show of your great Grace
knowledge about art. Use Grace to move smoothly and keep a good posture,
or to dance in a very classy context. Grace helps you
keep your balance, perform feats of acrobatics, or make
extremely accurate moves that require the utmost
precision.
Additionally, if you are a Fairy, you use Grace to fly
nimbly and with accuracy.

Other Skills in the Field of Society

In the Field of Society, use Care to cheer up your
friends or remove the Embarrassed Condition. Use
Craft to cook. Use Culture to recall information on
littlings of high society. Use Insight to see through a
lie. Use Investigation to evaluate a littling’s clothes.
Use Authority to inspire others or make yourself
heard. Use Strength or Athletics to impress others
with your physical prowess. Use Will to resist others’
charm and avoid giving in to provocations.
Use Caution to notice someone scheming behind
your back. Use Elusion to change the topic.

Pictured Here:
r 100 s Arcadia Oberonovna as the Ace of Hearts.
 Academia Craft
Use Craft to build, repair, and use technological items
You are in the Field of Academia when you rely on and gadgets. You can also use Craft for all tasks regard-
technical, theoretical, or practical knowledge acquired ing handicrafts, to build traps and makeshift structures,
through years of study or experience. When you prac- or to carry out small handiwork and maintenance jobs.
tice a science or analyze the world around you. And With Craft you can also cook healthy and balanced
when you are investigating to find a solution or dis- meals, and use them to remove the Tired Condition.
cover the truth.
All rolls made to know, recall, fix, treat, or analyze Culture
are made in the Field of Academia. Use Culture to recall information you learned from
your studies or from direct experience. Alternatively,
For example, when you recall dates and places from you can use it to translate a manuscript or try to under-
history books, when you diagnose or treat an illness, stand and speak a language you don’t know.
when you repair or build a gadget, when you examine Your Culture represents your level of education and
a situation or a crime scene, or when you search for your knowledge of habits, customs, and traditions
hidden evidence and crucial clues, you are always in from your culture as well as from other cultures of the
the Field of Academia. Household.

Care Insight
Use Care to remove the Hurt or Broken Conditions, Use Insight to analyze the situation you are in, the
to administer medical care, or to diagnose and treat environment, and the littlings around you.
any illness. With Insight you can recognize lies and scams.
With Care you can also offer emotional or psycho- Otherwise, you can use it to solve riddles and puzzles,
logical support, take care of someone, or help a littling and find a solution to desperate situations.
through a difficult time.
Investigation
Use Investigation to find or evaluate evidence and
hidden objects, or to gather information. You can also
use Investigation to analyze a crime scene in search of
clues, or to notice small easy-to-miss details.
Additionally, when facing an Opponent, you can use
Investigation to learn their Weak Spot.

Other Skills in the Field of Academia

In the Field of Academia, use Art to discuss an art-
piece or an event. Use Eloquence to hold a lecture.
Use Etiquette to teach or explain protocol to others.
Use Grace to smarten up and increase your level of
Decorum.
Use Fight to piece together the dynamics of a com-
bat. Use Will to keep your focus.
Use Dexterity to make repairs or an operation that
requires great manual skills. Use Exploration to prove
or put into practice your knowledge of botany and zo-
ology, or to remove the Poisoned Condition. Use Shoot
to calculate a trajectory or make a ballistics report.

Pictured Here:
r 101 s Wise Paracelsus as the Ace of Diamonds.
 War Authority
Use Authority to lead, to give clear and decisive or-
You are in the Field of War when you fight, when you ders, and to make others follow you even in desperate
try to impose yourself on others, or to dominate your situations.
environment. When you interact with the military With your Authority you can also inspire and rekin-
environment or with a martial trade. As well as when dle courage, intimidate others, extort information, and
you face a situation head on, or when you rely on your even tame both domestic and wild animals.
strength of will or muscles to overcome an obstacle.
All rolls made to fight, defend, overpower, burst Fight
through, endure pain or tension, intimidate, or to resist Use Fight to attack your Opponents directly and to
against threats are made in the Field of War. defend from their onslaughts.
With Fight you can use your bare hands to brawl,
For example, when you face an opponent, climb on and to overpower, grab, or restrain others. Additionally,
Furniture, kick down a door or barricade, threaten you can use any kind of melee or dueling weapons.
someone, or prove your courage, you are always in the
Field of War. Strength
Use Strength to push, pull, hoist, break, or carry ob-
Athletics jects. You can also use Strength for any physical task
Use Athletics to run, jump, climb, or swim. You can requiring brute strength, to kick down doors or bar-
also use Athletics for all physical feats that require ricades, and to resist prolonged and intense exertion.
great agility and prowess, to dash, or to try and break When you drink and eat till you burst and want to
a disastrous fall. make a show of your cast-iron stomach, youre using
When you are riding at full speed on the back of a the Strength Skill.
mouse, beetle, or snail, you are also using the Athletics
Skill. Will
Use Will to show your courage and presence of mind.
With Will you can resist fear when you are in a dan-
gerous or desperate situation, or you can resist pain and
tension when facing difficult moments. Additionally,
you can use it to stay awake and alert.

Other Skills in the Field of War

In the Field of War, use Eloquence to insult or dis-
hearten others. Use Etiquette to interact with officers
of higher rank in a military setting. Use Grace to fight
or move with finesse.
Use Craft to cause a collapse or create an obstruction
for the enemy. Use Culture to recall information on the
armies of the House. Use Insight to predict feints or
tactics. Use Investigation to find the Weak Spot of an
Opponent.
Use Caution to avoid being surrounded or caught off
guard. Use Dexterity to attack quickly. Use Elusion to
dodge projectiles. Use Shoot to shoot point-blank or
in close combat.

Pictured Here:
r 102 s Bravespine as the Ace of Clubs.
 Street Dexterity
Use Dexterity to do things that require great precision,
You are in the Field of Street when you act secretly, agility, or sleight of hand.
stealthily, with caution, or to commit crimes. When With Dexterity you can pick a pocket or lock, use
you are interacting with wild and hostile lands in the light weapons such as a nailtip and a dueling sword,
House or with criminal circles. When you try to pre- get out of restraints, or perform small prestidigitation
empt or ward off a danger or ambush, or when you try tricks.
to deal with it from a safe distance.
All rolls made to hide, sneak, steal, run away, pick Elusion
locks, shoot, and to interact with wild environments Use Elusion to hide, tail, lose a tail, and move silently
and criminal circles are made in the Field of Street. or stealthily. Additionally, use it to dodge projectiles or
throwing weapons.
For example, when you skulk in the shadows, when You can also use Elusion to stall or to get out of a
you pick a lock, when you pull a grab-and-dash, when tight spot, depending on the Field you are in.
you find your bearings in the wild, when you avoid an
ambush, and when you use ranged weapons, you are Exploration
always in the Field of Street. Use Exploration to find your bearings in the wild and
to travel through wild lands. With Exploration you
Caution can also survive hostile environments, locate food and
Use Caution to stay vigilant, and to avoid or circum- resources when you are far from settlements, and find
vent a trap, danger, or enemy. a makeshift shelter hidden from insects.
With Caution you can also preempt an ambush, spot You can also use Exploration to interact with the
hidden littlings or animals, notice you are being fol- natural environment and recognize animals or plants.
lowed, or move with caution and discretion.
Shoot
Use Shoot to use firearms or ranged weapons and to
hurl throwing weapons.
With Shoot you can also throw small items toward a
target, or toss them to one of your friends.

Other Skills in the Field of Street

In the Field of Street, use Etiquette to recall the codes
of conduct of the most famous criminal gangs. Use
Grace to move gingerly and keep your balance.
Use Care to recognize and use natural medicines and
poisons. Use Craft to build traps and set up camp for
the night. Use Culture to recall information on wild
lands or sketchy areas. Use Investigation to find hid-
den compartments or animal tracks.
Use Athletics or Strength to hang from a ledge, to
hold your breath for a long time, and for any other
physical feat needed to remain hidden and not give
away your position. Use Fight to strike an enemy from
behind with a sneak attack.

Pictured Here:
r 103 s Capitano Rodomonte as the Ace of Spades.
 Moves Aces up your
Moves are special skills typical of each Profession.
Each Player begins at Chapter I with one Move, and
Sleeve
gains additional Moves at Chapter II and IIII. Aces are special resources you can spend to obtain
Advantages or other benefits.
Some Moves allow you to take specific actions without There are four types of Aces, one for every suit in a
rolling the dice. deck of cards and each tied to a Field, as well as a Joker.
Here is an example: To keep track of the Aces at your disposal, you can fill
in the relevant symbol on your Sheet, but in all confi-
I heard a rumor! dence it’s much more fun to use actual playing cards.
Either you know a thorny piece of information learned You can only have one Ace per suit at a time.
from gossip – you may come up with this or ask the
narrator – or you start a rumor yourself. When you play an Ace, choose one of the following
effects:
Other Moves allow you to repeat a roll, or offer you a
strategic advantage. You might need to meet a prereq- Ӵ Gain +1 to an Action or Reaction Roll
uisite to use them. Ӵ Repeat a Move you already used this
Here is an example: Session
Ӵ Remove a Condition tied to the Ace’s suit
Defensive Stance from yourself without rolling the dice
Requires a two-handed Weapon Ӵ Change the Approach after failing an
All your friends gain +1 to their next Reaction Roll Action Roll
against an Opponent.
You can spend an Ace to gain +1 only if you are using
You’ll find the Moves for each Profession in Section a Field or Skill from the same suit.
III “Professions”. For example, you can play an Ace of Clubs to gain
+1 only if you are acting in the Field of War, or if you
are using a Skill among Athletics, Authority, Fight,
Strength, or Will, regardless of the Field.
USING A MOVE
You can use every Move at your disposal once per Similarly, you can play an Ace to repeat a Move or
Session. When doing so, make a mark in the circle next remove from yourself a Condition only if they are tied
to that Move on your Sheet. to the Ace’s suit.
You may erase the mark in all the filled-in circles at For example, you can play an Ace of Hearts to re-
the end of a Session. peat the Move I Heard a Rumor! or to remove the
Embarrassed Condition. The Ace of Diamonds would
If you want to repeat a Move you already used in the also allow you to repeat the Move I Heard a Rumor!
same Session, you can do so by playing an Ace. but it can only remove the Confused Condition.
The suit symbol next to the name of the Move in-
dicates which Ace you can play to gain an additional Finally, if you didn’t pass an Action Roll, you can
use of that Move. If there are two suit symbols next to play an Ace to avoid failure and try again with a new
the name of the Move, it means you can play either of Approach. When you do this, you must play an Ace of
those Aces to repeat the Move. a different suit from the Field in which you rolled the
Failure, and then make a new roll in the Field of the
Ace you played.

r 104 s
 For example, if you tried to lie to a gendarme by roll-
ing Eloquence + Society and failed, you can choose to
play an Ace instead of dealing with the failure. Since
you already tried acting in the Field of Society, you
cannot use the Ace of Hearts.
If you play an Ace of Spades, you can make a new
roll in the Field of Street and try taking a stealthy
Approach. On the other hand if you play an Ace of
Clubs, you can make a new roll in the Field of War and
hit the gendarme when they least expect it.

GAINING AN ACE
At the beginning of each Chapter every Player receives
2 Aces in the suits tied to their Profession and Vocation
(and the Fields in which they have 2 points).

While you’re playing, the Narrator is also tasked with

Joker
rewarding memorable actions and brave or fruitful Jokers are an even more precious resource than Aces:
choices taken by the Players by giving them an Ace of you can play them to gain truly unbelievable benefits.
a relevant suit.
When a Player has a brilliant idea, when they mas- When you play a Joker, choose one of the following
terfully interpret their Character, when they get the effects:
success they desperately needed against all odds, or
when everyone gets excited and pats each-other’s back Ӵ Gain an Extreme Success instead of
for an epic exploit, these are all occasions that deserve rolling the dice
an Ace of approval! Ӵ Save a friend who is about to Bow Out
Ӵ Remove one Condition of any kind
Remember to reward a Player with an Ace when: Ӵ Replace an Ace by playing a Joker instead

Ӵ They score a success against all odds

Ӵ They have an idea that changes the course of
the story GAINING A JOKER
Ӵ Their actions are absolutely memorable The Narrator can reward a Player by giving them a
Ӵ They make a great sacrifice Joker much like they would by giving an Ace.
Ӵ They manage to move everyone As a general rule, the Narrator should grant a Joker
Ӵ They masterfully interpret their Character when any other Ace would not be enough to properly
Ӵ They are at the center of an epic scene represent the deeds and successes of a Player.
Ӵ They deserve a good reward
Ӵ Everyone cheers In all confidence, Jokers are a very powerful resource,
but that is no reason to be too stingy with them. If
Obviously, actions made in the Field of Academia nobody at the table has a Joker, it might be time for
should be rewarded with an Ace of Diamonds, actions you to give one. If half of the Players already has a
in the Field of War with an Ace of Clubs, and so on. Joker, then you can be more sparing.

Pictured Here:
r 105 s A celebratory Joker.
 Help and
Hindrance

Having something Helpful can increase your chances

and grant you precious benefits.
Help
Having to deal with something Hindering can be an Useful tools, valiant allies, and a perfect style can all be
obstacle and bring you one step closer to failure. Helpful on your adventures.
For example, a sharp scissor can help you with cut-
Items and Equipment can be helpful in many occa- ting, a saddle mouse can help you to run, and a high
sions, but their weight and bulk can also become hin- level of Decorum can help you make a good impres-
dering. You can find them in Section VI “Equipment sion at the ball.
and Wealth”.
When you can rely on the Help of someone or some-
Your level of Decorum can also be helpful when you’re thing, you get one of these benefits:
dressed appropriately, or be hindering when you have
to deal with uptight littling or try to avoid being ӵ Gain + 1 to an Action or Reaction Roll.
noticed. ӵ Gain a Success without rolling the dice.
ӵ Gain the Requisites to make an Action Roll
Animal Companions and Secondary Characters have that you wouldn’t normally be able to make.
many good and helpful qualities, but they can also
hinder you either on purpose or by accident. Be careful The Narrator is tasked with deciding what benefit the
who you travel with! Help gives on a case by case basis, depending on the
circumstances and dynamics of the action.
Even Experiences and Memories made as
you progress in your story can be Helpful As a Narrator, choose to give +1 to a roll when the
or Hindering in some crucial moments. Help received by the Character is substantial, but not
We’ll look at this topic in greater a determining factor.
detail in a dedicated chapter in
Section VIII “Saga”. Narrator: The mushroom is very tall, it won’t be
easy to climb. Lucky for you, your grappling hook
and line is Helpful, granting you +1 to the roll.
On the left: A littling using the help
of a grappling hook and line.
On the right: A littling being
hindered by their backpack.

r 106 s
 When the Help is so great that it removes all risk basis. When in doubt, giving a simple -1 is always a
from the challenge, it is best to grant a success without good choice.
asking for the roll.
Narrator: Climbing on a mushroom stalk is
Narrator: You notice an opened window on always hard. But your backpack is chock full and
the upper floor. With the Help of your grappling poses a Hindrance, giving you -1 to the roll.
hook and line you have no problem climbing up
there. You gain a Success without rolling the dice. When the Narrator feels like the Hindrance is so bad
or relevant that it nullifies the chances of success, then
Finally, when the Help is a requisite needed to take an it’s only right for the Player to get a Failure without
otherwise impossible action, you can choose to grant even rolling.
no additional benefits.
Narrator: You fall in the puddle and start
Narrator: The wall in front of you is com- struggling, trying to reach the edge. But your
pletely smooth, you don’t see even a hint of a backpack bursting with oddities pulls you down,
handhold. Climbing this wall bare-handed would it’s so much of a Hindrance that you can’t even
be impossible, but thanks to the Help of your swim. You suffer a failure without rolling the dice.
grappling hook and line, you can try. Make an
Action Roll. Sometimes, a Hindrance doesn’t immediately lead
you to failure, but still prevents you from going fur-
In all confidence, whenever you’re in doubt, it’s best to ther without some Help or without meeting some
grant a simple +1 and let the dice do their thing. requirements.

Narrator: As you reach the wall, you realize

it is even taller than you previously thought.

Hindrance Climbing over it with such a heavy backpack

Hindering your movements is just impossible. To
make this Action Roll you’ll have to leave some-
Heavy or bulky items, annoying pains in the neck, and thing behind, or hope that someone will lower a
imposing conditions can become a Hindrance at the rope or help you some other way.
worst possible time.
For example, being in cuffs hinders you when you
try to use your hands, a gullible noble is a hindrance to
negotiations, and a low level of Decorum is hindering HELPING
when you attempt to gain audience at court. A Character can offer you their Help to
make an Action Roll. If the Narrator
When someone or something is a Hindrance, you suf- feels like their support can really
fer one of these disadvantages: make a difference, they can grant
you +1 to the roll.
ӵ Suffer - 1 to an Action or Reaction Roll. If several Characters help you
ӵ Get a Failure without rolling the dice. on the same roll, the Narrator can
ӵ Need additional Help or an extra even allow you to succeed without r o l l -
requisite to make a roll. ing the dice thanks to the collective effort.

Here too, the Narrator is tasked with deciding the

effects of a Hindrance on the story on a case by case

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 Secondary
Characters Animal
All littlings met on your adventures, who also have a
name and a memorable role in the story, are considered
Companions
Secondary Characters. An Animal Handler’s Animal
Companion acts exactly like a
Secondary Characters are played by the Narrator Secondary Character who is con-
and do not have their own Sheet, but they can prove trolled by the Player.
Helpful or Hindering depending on their disposition
and skills. Beetles, mice, geckos, and bumblebees
Here is an example: all have different skills allowing them
to Help their friends. Additionally,
Viscount Oleg Protopopolov is an ex- they gain access to dedicated Traits
pert zoologist and can Help you to recognize that make them even more useful, but
the animals of the House and interact with sometime make them a Hindrance.
them. He is also very gullible, and his curiosity
and naivety can be a Hindrance when you’re Keep in mind, that all animals and
dealing with dangers or less-than-reputable Animal Companions big enough to
littlings. mount are Helpful when it comes to
running and escaping from littlings
When a Secondary Character gives you their Help, the on foot.
Narrator can grant you benefits based on their skills.

Narrator: Viscount Protopopolov points out

the intriguing tracks of a spurred centipede that
clearly climbed on the wall here. With his Help,
you gain +1 to the rolls made to follow tracks.

Similarly, when a Secondary Character is a Hindrance,

the Narrator can impose disadvantages.
will choose to get in your way however and whenever
Narrator: You try to sneak around the centi- they can.
pede, but Viscount Protopopolov is so fascinated
by it that he steps away to get a closer look. His The Narrator can make interesting and memorable
curiosity risks catching the attention of the beast. Secondary Characters simply by determining where
This Hindrance gives you -1 to the rolls. they can prove Helpful and where they can become a
Hindrance.
Remember that Secondary Characters who are your
allies will do their best to help, but they could still be Here you find a small list of prompts that can prove
an involuntary hindrance. useful to help you come up with your own, original
Secondary Characters.
On the other hand, Secondary Characters against you
will refuse to help regardless of their skills, and rather

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T he T rusted B u tler  T he E xpert G uide 
“I am at your service” “This way!
The Trusted Butler is always on time and has a keen eye The Expert Guide is an important ally on long jour-
for details. They can Help you to get ready for a party, neys. They can Help you to find your way through the
to carry heavy objects, and to make a good impression wilderness, to locate food, and to build a shelter.
in polite society. They are also lofty and stiff, they can
be a Hindrance when you try to commit crimes.
T he B oorish A rtist 
“This is outrageous!”
T he E steemed P rofessor  The Boorish Artist is an extremely gifted performer
“I read a book once” who is well known in their field. They can Help you
The Esteemed Professor is a true authority in their to make a distraction, gather attention, or make art.
field. They can be a linguist, a physician, a philosopher, They are also arrogant and self-centered, and they’ll be
or an engineer. They can Help with things related to a Hindrance whenever you try to persuade others or to
their specialty and Hinder you when it comes to heavy do something they see as unbecoming.
labor.

T he S cared C hild 
T he S killed M ercenary  “Hold my hand”
“You have my scissor” The Scared Child is trying to get away from danger,
The Skilled Mercenary is a first-class fighter. They can or to return home, and they need your help to do it.
Help you to fight, to defend you, and to crash obstacles Regrettably, they’re Hindering whenever you have to
on your path. They are also rather rough, and can be a face a danger or fight, because you always have to keep
Hindrance when trying to make a good impression in them out of harm’s way.
polite society.

T he R eckless N oble 
T he U pstanding G endarme  “You worry too much”
“Order and peace have been restored” The Reckless Noble is a distinguished etiquette expert.
The Upstanding Gendarme is a good detective who They can Help you to gain favors and resources, and
knows their city well. The can Help you investigating to show good manners. They are also a hopeless and
crime scenes and seeing through the lies of others. enthusiastic meddler, whose “enterprising disposition”
They are also always in full uniform and with a hat, will be a Hindrance whenever you try to avoid dangers
which can become a Hindrance if you’re trying to earn or move stealthily.
the trust of a sketchy littling.

T he C ap tured E nemy 
T he C raven C rook  “On my name, you’ll pay for this!”
“After all, what’s the harm?” The Captured Enemy has it in for you and will take
The Craven Crook is well known in shady places for every chance to escape or get back at you. They can
their thieving ways. They can Help you to commit possibly prove Helpful in some circumstances, but
crimes and to find a way in or out of places. They they’d much rather be a Hindrance in any way they
are also ruthless and selfish, they will be a Hindrance can. If you don’t put a gag on them, they’ll never stop
whenever they stand to gain from it. complaining!

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 Conflicts

A single Action Roll is not enough to solve more FACING A CONFLICT

important conflicts, this is why these conflicts are ex- The simplest way to resolve a conflict is to just car-
panded into memorable scenes. ry on with the game. You and your friends all state
A classic conflict might be a battle against a spider your actions as usual and, at the end of the turn, the
or a centipede, but not all conflicts involve violence. Narrator can ask for a Reaction Roll to make the scene
For example, some conflicts take place in the field more interesting.
of society, like a debate or a ball at the palace. Others
put your academic talents at the test, like a surgical For example, let’s say you and your friends are trying
intervention or the investigation of a crime scene. to steal a precious crystal jewel as it’s hanging around
Even evading a group of gendarmes or a high-stakes the neck of the baroness of the Cupboard . On your
robbery are examples of conflicts! turn, you first try to approach her, then to create a dis-
traction, and finally to make this dangerous sleight of
Z hand swipe.
After each of these turns, the Narrator might have
The harder the conflict,
you make a Reaction Roll, maybe because there is a
the more glorious the victory. staunch gendarme who could notice what’s happen-
ing, or because you risk bumping into a clumsy waiter
General Cutter
as they cross the room with a whole tray of delicious
Z pastries.

Conflicts and memorable scenes will allow you to ex- Usually, Action and Reaction Rolls alternate regularly.
pand dramatic moments and narrate a daring escape In some situations, however, the conflict could be en-
or a game of seduction with the same pathos history tirely made of Action Rolls, maybe because your goal
books use when talking about duels and great battles. is to build a well-protected encampment. In others,
it could be made of only Reaction Rolls, for example
When you’re facing a littling who has it out for you, when your goal is resisting the elements on a danger-
when you try to get something from a littling who is ous crossing.
firmly opposed to it, and when you’re in a tricky situ-
ation with big implications, the Narrator can expand
the action and start a conflict.

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 Extended Ӵ Cumulative Success: Successfully making

Rolls even just one of the rolls would be enough for

you to achieve something. But the more rolls you
make, the better the result of your action will be.
Breakneck chases through the city, complex surgeries This method is useful when you try to build
or repairs, extenuating journeys, and games that re- something complex or big, like a carriage or a
quire you keep score, these are all conflicts you could fence. It’s also good for when you’re searching
easily resolve with Extended Rolls. for clues in a room.
To put it simply, Extended Rolls are a series of rolls
made one after the other in order to reach a single goal. Ӵ Consecutive Successes: To reach your
goal, you must score 2 consecutive successes. If
Usually, to face an Extended Roll, you’ll have to alter- you fail 2 rolls in a row, it means you failed.
nate Action and Reaction Rolls, acting and reacting as This method is useful for actions that require
the situation requires. a prolonged or continuous effort. For example,
when you’re chasing or being chased, or when
Jacob: I run away from the spider without look- you’re playing tug-o-war.
ing back. I roll Athletics + Street and... Success!
Ӵ Multiple Successes: You have to gain a
Narrator: You quickly begin your getaway, but set number of Basic, Critical, or Extreme
the spider throws its web in your direction. React Successes. The sooner you reach the needed
with Caution+ War. number, the faster you’ll reach your goal.
This method is useful to gauge how long it will
In some situations, the Narrator could ask you to make take you to reach your goal. For example, when
Action Rolls one after the other. For example, this you’re trying to pick a lock before the guards
could happen when you’re trying to build something can reach you, or when you’re performing
complex, or when looking for tracks. surgery on a littling in critical conditions.
Similarly, the Narrator might only ask you to make
Reaction Rolls. For example, this could happen when Ӵ Best of 3: You make 3 rolls and aim to
you’re holding your breath or trying to brave a storm. successfully pass at least 2.
This method is useful for conflicts that
Sarada: My old keysket is in pieces. I try to require a fierce resistance. For example,
repair it by rolling Craft + Academia. when you’re braving the elements or facing a
sawdust storm in the Kashab. It’s also good
Narrator: You begin putting the pieces back for sports that keep a score.
together, but there’s much to do before you’re
finished. You can make another Action Roll. Ӵ Strike Method: You can only fail 1, 2, or 3
times. When you fail too many times, it means
you failed.
This lethal method is useful when you can
SUCCESS AND FAILURE afford to make few mistakes or none at all.
There are several ways to determine if an Extended For example, when you’re moving through the
Roll succeeds or fails. The Narrator is free to choose the Inbetweens and end up quietly hopping around
method most suitable for the scene they are describing. an army of spiders sleeping in their lair.
The Narrator can also decide if the failure of
a single Character will also impact on their
friends or not.

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 Combat
The most common type of conflict is Combat, a scene rife
with tensions that sees the Characters facing off against
Quick Opponents
their Opponents and trying to get the upper hand. Do you need to come up with an Op-
ponent on the fly for the next combat?
In the upcoming pages I’ll tell you everything you need Choose the Difficulty, pick between Ba-
to describe a combat scene and face your fearsome sic and Critical. Give them either 5 or
Opponents. I will also give you useful rules and tips on 10 Stress boxes. Finally, choose up to 3
how to Shoot from a safe distance, and how to get into Opponent Traits for them. You're all set!
the thick of a nice Brawl. Finally, we’ll look over the
rules for the most romantic type of combat you’ll ever
face: a Duel between gentlittlings.

FACING AN OPPONENT
Opponents A combat scene begins when you first make an attack
or suffer a blow from an Opponent.
Littlings and beasts who stand in your way, try to cap- From then on, turns will alternate between two kinds:
ture you or even to do you in, these are all fearsome
Opponents. Some Opponents are single littlings or Ӵ Action Turn: All Players are free to choose
large creatures, but most of them are groups of enemies their actions and make any relative Action Rolls.
of varying sizes.
Ӵ Reaction Turn: The Narrator announces
Every Opponent comes with a small Opponent Sheet the Opponent action and all Players try to
that details: defend by making Reaction Rolls.

Ӵ Name: i.e. Soldiers or Wasps.

Ӵ Difficulty: The Opponent’s Difficulty.
Ӵ Stress: Like you, Opponents have a set num- INITIATIVE
ber of Stress boxes. When the Narrator filled Depending on the circumstances, the Narrator can
in all of the boxes, the Opponent is Defeated. choose whether the combat scene begins with an
Ӵ Actions: Each round the Opponent can take Action Turn or a Reaction Turn.
one of these 6 actions and you have to react. If the Players are the first to strike, catch the
Ӵ Traits: Special abilities of the Opponent that Opponent off-guard, or have a tactical advantage, the
grant them benefits or hinder your actions. combat begins with an Action Turn.
Ӵ Moves: Special Actions the Opponent may If the Players suffer a severe blow, are blindsided, or
take when their Stress reaches a Crucial Box. get pushed in a corner, on the other hand, the combat
begins with a Reaction Turn.
On the next page you’ll find the Sheet for a rat, one
of the dangerous Opponents you might face on your When in doubt, the Narrator can always rely on the
Adventures. roll of a numeric die. If the roll is odd, the combat
At the end of this rulebook you’ll also find an begins on an Action Turn. If it’s even, it begins with a
Appendix completely dedicated to Opponents, with a Reaction Turn.
list of enemies, their Sheets, Traits, and Weak Spots. Anyway, all Players act and react simultaneously.

r 112 s
Rat m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Tail Whip, then Rage

Traits: Beast, Huge, Double Trouble, Filthy
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The rat attacks you with its fangs and claws. React with Fight.
II - The rat slams you against the ground or wall. React with Strength.
III - The rat tries to furiously chomp on you. React with Dexterity.
IIII - The rat whips the air with its tail and claws, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
V - The rat bares its fangs, then strikes with the tail. React with Insight.
VI - The rat makes terrifying growls and squeaks. React with Will.

Rats look much like hugely overgrown mice with long, muscly tails. However, they have very little in com-
mon with such noble creatures.
Unlike mice, rats hunt littlings and are impossible to train, with the exception of few, tamer, breeds. These
beasts are a real pain for hunters, as they threaten the natural balance of any hunting ground they reach, and
sometimes even venture into towns to find food.

Tail Whip: A quick swipe of the tail threatens to knock down the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a
Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War fall to the ground. Characters on the ground must use their action to
stand back up. Until they do, they suffer -1 to all rolls.
Rage: The hair on the back of the rat stands up as it hisses. From now on, Characters have -1 to all Action
Rolls made to attack.

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 ACTION TURN ATTACKING AN OPPONENT
During an Action Turn, all Players are free to decide The most common Skill you will have to use to attack
and take their actions as normal. an Opponent is Fight. However, there is no limit on
The key difference is that, during a combat scene, the Skill you can call into play to face an Opponent,
most actions will require a roll to be successfully car- so long as your interpretation can justify your choice.
ried out. Even the most simple activity can become a
real challenge when you’re having to deal with a fierce For example, if you want to strike a mercenary with
Opponent. your great-scissor, you can roll Fight + War, but if
you want to throw them off with a feint you can roll
During a combat, you can also use your action to at- Dexterity + War. If you want to collapse a precarious
tack the Opponent, to talk to them, or to find their scaffolding on them, you can roll Craft + War.
Weak Spot.
If you score a Success, the Opponent suffers 1 Stress.
All Action Rolls made to interact with an Opponent As usual, you can spend extra or greater Successes to
use the War Field and have a Difficulty level equal to make extra Actions or deal an increased amount of
the Opponent’s Difficulty. Stress to your Opponent.
For example, if you attack a Basic Opponent and
Narrator: You’re trapped in the Inbetweens score a Critical Success, you can deal up to 3 Stress.
and it really looks like you caught the eyes of a
Large Spider covered in fur. This is a Critical Sarada: I, for one, grab my long keysket and
Opponent. What do you do? charge toward the spider. I try to hit it by rolling
Fight + War and score a Critical Success.
Jacob: I’m terrified of the spider! I turn back and
try to move the rubble to open a way out. Narrator: The keysket head opens a small
wound on the spider’s face. It takes 1 Stress.
Narrator: You can already see a small ray of Good hit!
light through the rubble. Make a Basic Action
Roll.

r 114 s
When an Opponent fills in a Crucial Box of their
Stress, they immediately use a Move. When all boxes
are full, the Opponent has been defeated. Stress during
Combat
REACTION TURN As a general rule, during a combat
After all Players have taken their Action, the Narrator scene the Characters never suffer Stress
determines the Opponent’s action either by choosing as consequence of a failure in an Action
freely one of the 6 options on the Opponent Sheet or Roll.
by rolling a single numeric die to decide randomly. However, they always suffer Stress
when they fail a Reaction Roll.
All Players involved in combat must than make a This rule does not apply to Brawls
Reaction Roll to defend against the Opponent’s attack. and Duels, as explained later.
In case of Failure, they suffer an amount Stress deter-
mined by the Opponent’s Difficulty. Additionally, sometimes suffering Stress
might not be enough of a consequence for
They can use extra Successes to counter-attack the a spectacularly bad failure, like when you
Opponent and deal Stress, to defend a friend, or to need an Extreme Success or 2 Critical
take extra actions. As before, you can use any lower Successes and fail to roll even a tiny Basic
Success scored to do Damage Control. Success. When this happens, the Narrator
may give additional consequences, like a
During a combat scene, all Reaction Rolls use the Condition or loss of Decorum, as well as
War Field and have a Difficulty level equal to the the usual dose of Stress.
Opponent’s Difficulty.

Narrator: The spider is pretty irritated. It

pounces on you and strikes at you with its legs.
React by rolling Fight + War.

Sarada: I rolled a Critical Success... MULTIPLE DIFFICULTIES

Some Opponents are especially large or in especially
Jacob: Cripes, I rolled no Success at all… large numbers. To defend against their attacks, you’ll
have to make a Reaction Roll with Multiple Difficulties.
Narrator: Sarada manages to skillfully deflect When you’re facing an Opponent with the Double
the spider’s attack. Jacob, on the other hand, is Trouble or Triple Threat Traits, the Difficulty of the
taken off-guard: the legs hit and give you some Reaction Rolls becomes double or triple the Opponent’s
bruises and 3 Stress. Difficulty, for example 2 Basic, or 3 Critical.

As usual, if you do not score all needed Successes, you

can use any Successes rolled to do Damage Control.
Additionally, bear in mind that these Multiple
Difficulties only come into play for Reaction Rolls, and
not when you are the one acting against the Opponent.
On the left: You’ll find all information about these especially
A group of littlings fight against
a pack of wild rats. tough Opponents in Appendix I “Opponents”.

r 115 s
 LEAVING COMBAT
On your turn, you can also make a roll of Elusion +
War to try to leave the combat. The Difficulty of this
roll is equal to the Opponent’s Difficulty, and f you are
the only Player in combat you suffer -1 to the roll.

After leaving Combat you no longer have to make

Reaction Rolls to defend from an Opponent’s
onslaughts.
If you attack an Opponent or interact with them in
any way, you immediately re-enter combat.

OPPONENT MOVES
Whent the Opponent's Stress reaches the Crucial Box,
the Opponent immediately uses one of their Moves as
VICTORY AND DEFEAT explained on their Sheet.
When the Narrator fills in the last Stress box of an If a Move calls for a roll by the Players, the normal
Opponent, it means that the Players have won the succession of turns is interrupted and the roll must
combat. The Opponents are on the run, captured, or happen immediately.
knocked out. Here is an example:

If one of the Characters is forced to Bow Out during War Buzz

a combat, it means they have been captured by the The wasps unleash a powerful and deafening buzz that
enemy, that they were cut off from the others, or even covers even your thoughts. You can no longer play Aces
that they’re presumed dead. The specifics of their de- until the end of combat.
feat can vary, depending on the nature and goal of the
Opponent. If you fail a roll to avoid a Move you do not suffer
For example, if you get defeated by a spider, it could Stress, but have to face the consequences described
drag you into its lair, while if you get defeated by some under the Opponent’s Move.
soldiers, they might take you prisoner.

There is even a chance for a Character who bows out

to have met their untimely demise. When this hap- MULTIPLE OPPONENTS
pens, the Narrator should discuss with the Player to A group of Characters fighting together can face only
decide whether that’s how the Character’s story ends, one Opponent at a time.
and get their consent for this.
Whenever there’s more than one Opponent on the
If all Characters have to bow out, the Session ends with scene, the Characters only face the strongest Opponent,
a disastrous defeat. The Narrator can decide whether while the Narrator can consider a weaker Opponent as
they want to bring back the Characters immediately a Hindrance if that seems relevant to the story.
in the next Session, starting with the group taken Alternatively, the Narrator can ask the Characters to
prisoner or at the mercy of the enemy. Alternatively, face the Opponents one immediately after the other,
the Narrator can also choose that that is how the or divide the Characters in two groups and have them
Paragraph ended and move on to the next. face an Opponent each.

r 116 s
 WEAK SPOT
An Opponent might have a Weak Spot you can take
advantage of to gain the upper hand. Make
On your turn, you can make a roll of Investigation
+ War to study your Opponent in search of their
Weak Spot. The Difficulty of this roll is equal to the
a Trade
Opponent’s Difficulty. When you’re about to suffer Stress,
Some Moves, like the Duelist Move Cunning especially if this happens during an es-
Tactics, allow you to find an Opponent’s Weak Spot pecially memorable or dramatic scene,
without having to roll the dice or use up your action. you can make a trade with the Narrator.
Instead of getting more Stress,
When you find the Opponent’s Weak Spot, the you could put forth that you suffer a
Narrator determines the Weak Spot by using the table Condition, lower your level of Decorum,
you can find in the Appendix “Opponents” and tells lose or break a piece of your Equipment,
you the result. or even give up Aces up your Sleeve,
Every Weak Spot is different and they each grant Wealth, or Coins.
specific benefits.
Here is an example: For example, when an opposing duelist
is about to strike you to the heart, you
Weak Spot can ask the Narrator to trade the Stress
There is an unstable structure nearby you can knock you should stuffer for your pin and
over by rolling Craft + War. If you’re successful, the some Decorum.
Opponent suffers 2 Stress. If the Narrator agrees, instead of
thrusting to your chest, the duelist breaks
your blade and carves their initials on
ATTACKING AT A DISTANCE your new jacket to humiliate you.

When you attack an Opponent from a distance you This kind of trade should happen only
don’t necessarily take part in combat. in extraordinary and memorable situa-
Depending on the circumstances, and so long as at tions, and the Narrator is always free to
least one of your friends is still facing your Opponent choose whether to accept or not.
directly, the Narrator can choose to exclude you from
the Reaction Turn.

However, fights are always confused matters, and the

fear of accidentally hitting an ally will be a Hindrance
whenever you shoot.

Pictured Here:
Two nasty looking
Wasps as they patrol
the Waxy Swale.

r 117 s
 Shooting RELOADING
All firearms and ranged weapons of the Household
Beginning when the Sluagh first taught the Little are single-shot, and must be reloaded after every use.
Folk the secret of black powder, firearms quickly Reloading a weapon is a complex action requiring a
spread throughout the House, replacing older ranged full turn and both of your hands.
weapons. For example, you might have to accurately pour the
The Shoot Skill allows you to hit targets that would gunpowder in the barrel of your gun, fit in your bullet,
otherwise be beyond your reach by using firearms, and push it to the end of the barrel. Alternatively, you
ranged, or throwing weapons. might have to rearm your crossbow by pulling on the
string with both hands or by cranking a lever.

During combats, escapes, or similarly hurried scenes,

RANGE you can reload your weapon with a Critical Action
The Narrator is tasked with establishing the distance Roll in Dexterity. You can also spend an extra Critical
between you and the target. Depending on the dis- Success to quickly reload your weapon, whatever the
tance, a target might become harder or even impossible circumstances. Weapons with the Double Barreled
to hit. Trait must be reloaded twice.

Ӵ Adjacent: The target is extremely close or To make the story-flow easier, I recommend you don’t
in melee. keep track of ammunitions. If you have a weapon, you
Ӵ At Short Distance: The target is only few have ammunitions. Only during especially tense scenes
tiny meters from you, they can be reached or after a problematic event, the Narrator might deter-
quickly. mine that you only have few bullets left. It’s a good way
Ӵ Within Range: The target is several tiny to heighten the tension!
meters away. You’d need an entire turn to
reach them.
Ӵ At Long Distance: The target is very far
away. Clearly outside of the range of most COVER
littlings. When it’s your turn to be shot at, you can always look
Ӵ Out of Range: The target is within sight, for an upturned table, a mushroom, or another object
but too far to be hit. that can grant Partial or Total Cover.

An Adjacent target can be hit with any weapon, in- Ӵ Partial Cover: You gain +1 to Reaction
cluding melee weapons. A target at Short Distance is Rolls made to dodge bullets or other ranged
outside of reach for melee weapons, but can be reached attacks. For your action, you must leave cover
by all firearms, by ranged and throwing weapons, and or suffer -1 to your roll.
by weapons with reach. If there’s a low wall or something similar
nearby, you can spend an extra Basic Success
A target Within Range or at Long Distance, can only to reach partial cover.
be hit with a firearm or ranged weapon. When shoot- Ӵ Total Cover: You automatically succeed
ing at a target at Long Distance, you always suffer -2 on any Reaction Roll made to dodge bullets
to your roll, unless your weapon has the Accurate Trait. and ranged attacks. For your action, you must
Finally, a target Out of Range is completely beyond leave cover or suffer -3 to your roll.
reach. If you want to hit it, you’ll have to find a way to If there’s a tall wall or a large obstacle nearby,
get closer. you can spend an extra Critical Success to
reach total cover.

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 Brawl BRAWL OPPONENTS
Only littling Opponents can take part in a Brawl.
You don’t always have to draw blades to solve a quarrel. When fighting in a Brawl, the Opponents cannot
A good brawl is a debate made with your fists, it gives use any of their Traits or Moves. The only things that
everyone a chance to state their point with moder- matter are the Opponent’s Difficulty and Stress Boxes.
ate violence. When the Characters and their littling
Opponents fight with bare hands, the Narrator de-
clares the beginning of a Brawl.
A Brawl is much simpler than a combat scene, it re- KNOCK OU T
solves quickly and without heavy consequences. The Brawl ends when all Characters or Opponents are
defeated, when they all surrender, or when they run
All rolls made during a Brawl are in the Field of War, away. Alternatively, the Brawl ends as soon as someone
and the Difficulty of the rolls is determined by the draws a weapon, giving way to a real combat.
Opponent’s Difficulty.
For every Success scored in an Action or Reaction When you become Overstressed, it means you took
Roll, the Opponent suffers 1 Stress. For every Failure, one hit too many and can’t fight anymore. You either
the Character takes the Stress, with a chance for get knocked out or surrender, either way you leave
Damage Control as usual. the brawl with a ringing defeat and suffer the Tired
Condition. If you already feel Tired, you become Hurt.
In practice, the Action Turns and Reaction Turns of You never bow out because of a simple Brawl!
a Brawl all work the same, with the single exception
being that on the Action Turn you decide which Skill
to roll, while on the Reaction Turn the
Narrator is the one who determines the
Skill you use to React, as is usually the
case.

Pictured Here:
A boggart goes
juggernaut
during a brawl.

r 119 s
 Duel LEADING AN ASSAULT
When you are leading an assault, you can choose the
Duels are nail-biting conflicts during which a Action Roll you want to make to press the challenger,
Character has to directly face a valiant Challenger. staying hot on their heels with pointed attacks.
The Duel par-excellence is a romantic clash of
swords. It is the highlight of every adventure novel, Player: “En garde, you rogue!” I unsheathe the
the moment when the hero faces their sworn enemy to needle and, without hesitation, lunge toward
save their friends, and maybe even the House. them.
However, there are many different types of Duels,
and not all of them are this predictable. Duels could Whenever you’re in doubt, you can roll the Fight Skill
be balls at court or games of seduction. They could be to attack your Challenger directly. But feel free to get
street fights, or arm wrestling matches. Even a debate creative and find daring solutions to call into play the
could become a veritable Duel! Skill you feel more confident in.
Any memorable challenge between two littlings can Here are some examples:
be properly recreated with the help of the rules you’ll
find in this chapter. Ӵ I try to feint to confuse the Challenger. I roll
Dexterity.
Duels are made up of two alternating types of turn. Ӵ I clash my blade against the Challenger’s I
During one, you lead the assault and make an Action roll Strength.
Roll. During the other, you endure your Challenger’s Ӵ I cut the rope holding the chandelier. I roll
assault and must respond with the correct Reaction Craft.
Roll.
You have a chance to hit the Challenger in both types
of turns, and similarly run the risk of being hit in both.
ENDURING AN ASSAULT
When you are enduring an assault, the Challenger is
pressing you, putting you on the defensive. When this
THE CHALLENGER happens, the Narrator is the one to decide the Skill
During a Duel, the Narrator takes the role of the you’ll have to use for your Reaction Roll.
Challenger and, in a unique exception, they also
roll dice for the Challenger like a Player with their Narrator: The Challenger covers the distance
Character. between you in long strides and attacks “Yield,
you roach!”
The dice pool the Narrator uses depends on the talent
and skill of the Challenger. As before, the Narrator can simply ask you to make a
Fight roll, or they can try to find original challenges to
Ӵ 4 Dice: An inexperienced or not-really-good put you on the spot with Skills you are at a disadvan-
fencer. tage in.
Ӵ 5 Dice: A skilled fencer who knows what Here are some examples:
they’re doing.
Ӵ 6 Dice: An excellent fencer or an officer at Ӵ The Challenger makes a feint, trying to
their best. confuse you. Roll Insight.
Ӵ 7 Dice: A famous duelist whose deeds are Ӵ The Challenger backs you onto a suspended
well-known throughout the House. beam. Roll Grace.
Ӵ 8 Dice: A master duelist of legendary talent. Ӵ The Challenger makes a series of quick
thrusts with the blade. Roll Elusion.

r 120 s
 WINNING AND LOSING
During a Duel you do not look at Successes as usual.
In a duel, your goal is to gain a better Success than your Opposed
opponent.
For example: if you roll a Critical Success and the
Challenger rolls an Extreme Success, the Challenger
Rolls
won the assault. If you roll a Critical Success + a I generally urge Players to solve any
Basic Success and the Challenger only rolls a Critical disagreement between Characters
Success, you won the assault. through roleplay, without putting hand
If you and the Challenger roll equal Successes, the to their dice.
assault was a tie. Neither of you is hit, and you proceed
to the next assault. However, if it ever becomes an abso-
lute necessity, the Players can use the
When you win an assault, the Challenger suffers rules described in this chapter to make
one Jab, either physical or metaphorical. When the Opposed Rolls to determine which of
Challenger has suffered 3 Jabs, they are defeated. their Characters comes out on top.

When you lose an assault, you suffer a relevant Condition

chosen by the Narrator. Usually, after losing the first
assault you become Tired, unless you are already.
When you become Broken, it means you lost the
Duel. The Challenger has your fate in their hands, they
might take you prisoner, or mock you if they’re rude.

During a Duel, any Move that would normally inflict

Stress, deals one Jab instead. However, the Challenger STRONG AND WEAK SPOTS
is stronger than your average Opponent, and as such OPTIONAL RULE
you can only use each Move once during a Duel. The Narrator can secretly choose up to 3 Strong Spots
for the Challenger. Each Strong Spot is a Skill, like
Dexterity or Strength, in which the Challenger is a
true expert.
RE-ROLLING If you make an Action Roll using a Skill that is a
Both you and the Narrator can choose to Re-roll or go Strong Spot of the Challenger, the Narrator gains +1
All in, but the Narrator can never make Free Re-rolls. to their roll.
After the first roll of the dice, whoever rolled lower has
the right to Re-roll first, if they can. Similarly, the Narrator can also give the Challenger up
to 3 Weak Spots.
If you make an Action Roll using a Skill that is a
Weak Spot of the Challenger, the Narrator suffers -1
MYSTERIOUS CHALLENGER to their roll.
OPTIONAL RULE
The Narrator can choose to keep tensions even higher You can find Strong or Weak Spots in your Challenger
by keeping their dice rolls secret. This small variant is using any of the Moves that usually allow you to find
enough to make even the most skilled duelists go weak the Weak Spot of an Opponent.
at the knees! Each Strong or Weak Spot can come into play only
once during a Duel.

r 121 s
 Conditions
and
Decorum

Parents and guardians all over the House often repri-

mand their less scrupulous children with a resounding
“Cover up!” and shrieking “Brush your hair!” that rare-
Conditions
ly elicit any response. There are 8 main Conditions annotated on your Sheet.
Perhaps, these caring figures can prove overbearing, Some of these are tied to each of the Fields, and they
but their worries are founded: when you go on an ad- give you -1 whenever you make a roll in the relative
venture you should always be very careful with both Field.
your health and decency. Others bring specific disadvantages, preventing you
from getting rid of all Stress.
Conditions represent your physical and emotional
state, summarizing how you’re doing and how you’re The Narrator can also regard these Conditions as
feeling. Hindrances that interfere with your action in more
Conditions come into play when you’re facing dan- significant ways.
gerous or strenuous circumstances, and they make
everything more complicated. The main Conditions are:

Decorum represents how you carry yourself, your style, ӵ Embarrassed: -1 in Society
and last but not least, your personal hygiene. A high ӵ Confused: -1 in Academia
level of Decorum means you look smart and well- ӵ Hurt: -1 in War
dressed, or even that you’re ready for a grand event. On ӵ Scared: -1 in Street
the opposite end, a low level of Decorum means you’re ӵ Tired: No consequences
unrefined and shabby. ӵ Sick: You always have at least 3 Stress
Decorum is an important element when you’re deal- ӵ Poisoned: Once per round, you run the risk
ing with polite society or with sketchy folk, and gen- of suffering 1 Stress
erally comes into play whenever you’re dealing with ӵ Broken: Additional -1 to all rolls, your
someone judging your appearance. Stress cannot go below the Crucial Box

r 122 s
 GETTING A CONDITION Finally, whenever you fill in the Crucial Box of your
There are 3 ways you can get a Condition: Stress, you immediately suffer a relevant Condition, de-
pending on the circumstances and Field of your Failure.
ӵ When you Fail a roll, the Narrator can deter-
mine you suffer a Condition as a Consequence. Narrator: You failed the Critical roll in
ӵ When you want to gain +1 to an Action or Athletics + War to keep in the saddle of the
Reaction Roll and willingly choose to suffer a rearing mouse. You suffer 3 Stress which, together
Condition to get it. with the ones from before, bring you beyond the
ӵ When you reach the Crucial Box of your Crucial Box.
Stress, you immediately suffer a Condition. The mouse begins to rear, shaking you until your
head begins to spin. You’re very Confused.
Whenever you fail a roll that leaves a mark on your
Character, you suffer a Condition relevant to the cir- When you already have 3 Conditions and should suf-
cumstances and the Field of your Failure. fer a fourth, you instead become Broken. From then
In special cases, the Narrator can also choose to give on, you can no longer suffer additional Conditions
you additional Stress when you suffer a Condition. For until you heal.
example, when you need an Extreme Success and don’t
manage to score even a Basic Success, or when you fail
an action so dangerous that simply suffering Stress
would not be enough of a consequence. REMOVING A CONDITION
Removing a Condition requires time and attention.
Narrator: You failed the roll of Will + War You can remove Conditions only when you are safe
needed to resist the fear. The spider raises its legs from any dangers and run no immediate risk. For
and screams with all its might. You are Scared. example, when you have a chance to rest and remove
Stress, or when you return home, to your hotel room,
Before making an Action or Reaction Roll, you can or to camp.
choose to suffer a Condition in exchange for a +1, or
for an even greater Help. You can remove Conditions by making specific rolls,
For example, you stay up all night to repair your by paying Coins, or by interacting with your friends.
keysket and get +1 to your Craft Roll, but will become In the upcoming pages, you’ll find brief descriptions of
Tired in exchange. the Conditions as well as useful information on how
to remove them.
Sarada: I must take down the spider at all costs.
I run toward it and try to hit between its eyes, You can remove a maximum of 2 Conditions per day. If
without any concern for my own safety. I’d like you fail an attempt, you cannot try to remove the same
to become Hurt in exchange of a +1 to my next Condition again until the next day. Whenever you try
Fight roll. to remove a condition on your own, you always have -1.

Pictured Here:
Conditions, as clarified by littlings. r 123 s
E mbarrassed  S cared 
-1 to all rolls in the Society Field. -1 to all rolls in the Street Field.
You can become Embarrassed because you acted a You can become Scared because you faced some-
fool, because someone made you look bad, or when you thing really scary, sudden, or shocking, or because you
suffer a searing humiliation or defeat. found yourself stuck in a desperate situation.
To remove this Condition, you must gain someone’s To remove this Condition, take some time to have a
respect or consideration, perhaps by helping someone heart-to-heart with one of your friends and honestly
in need or proving your valor. Alternatively, a friend go over what happened to you and how it made you
can remove this Condition by cheering you up with a fee. Alternatively, you can face your fear, or prove your
Critical roll in Care + Society. strength of will or courage in a difficult situation.
“You stumble in the middle of the ballroom and, as “The spider descends above you and barely misses
you fall, take a poor waiter down with you, tray of your hiding spot. As it goes away, you are finally safe,
crystal glasses and all. Everyone turns to look: you’re but also very Scared.”
Embarrassed.”

T ired 
C onf used  You suffer no disadvantage, but are one step closer to
-1 to all rolls in the Academia Field. becoming Broken.
You can become Confused because you lost your You can become Tired after making a great effort, or
train of thought or focused too much, because you took after spending too much time without eating, drink-
a hit to the head, or because you get upset, angry, or ing, or sleeping enough.
distracted. To remove this Condition, sleep in a warm bed or go
To remove this Condition, you must take some time have a nice meal in a restaurant that will cost 2 Coins.
to clear your head or relax, perhaps by spending 2 In camp, you or a friend can make a Critical roll in
Coins to go out to dinner or go to the theater. Craft + Society to prepare a nice meal that will make
“You begin reading all the books in the study one after everyone who eats it feel rested.
the other, hoping to find any trace of a clue. On top “As the others rest, you stay awake and keep watch.
of finding nothing, you come out of it more Confused When someone finally comes to relieve you, you real-
than you were.” ize you feel very Tired.”

H urt  S ick 
-1 to all rolls in the War Field. You always have at least 3 Stress, even after resting or
You can become Hurt when you suffer a great wound, having a Moment’s Respite.
when an enemy hits you really hard, or when you fall You can become Sick because you were forced to
from a great height. sleep outside in the cold, because you ate something
To remove this Condition, make a Critical roll in spoiled, or because you came in contact with stinging
Care + Academia. Alternatively, if you’re in town you plants or harmful spores.
can go to a physician who will take care of your wounds To remove this Condition, spend 3 days without
for 2 Coins. suffering any other Condition while also having good
“You lose your grip and fall ruinously down the ravine. food and a shelter.
When you hit the ground you have a badly sprained “It seems that the mushroom patty that you ate the
ankle and some serious bruising. You’re Hurt.” other night wasn’t really fresh. The cramps in your
stomach and nausea tell you that you’re Sick.”

r 124 s
P oisoned  D runk 
At the beginning of a turn, the Narrator rolls a numeric -1 to rolls made to keep your balance, to charm or lie,
die. If the result is even: you suffer 1 Stress. If you’re or to resist being seduced or scammed.
Overstressed and suffer additional Stress because of this You can become Drunk when you drink too much
Condition, you become Broken but do not Bow Out. alcohol. The Narrator can ask you to roll Strength
You can become Poisoned because you came in con- + War as a way to see how well you can hold your
tact with a poisonous substance or got wounded by an liquor.
obnoxious beast. To remove this Condition you can get a good night's
To remove this Condition you can make an antidote sleep, but you’ll wake up feeling Tired.
with a Critical roll in Exploration + Academia, or buy “Feels like you drank a glass too many, because even
one for 3 Coins. Occasionally, the Narrator can decide when the music stops, the room keeps spinning. You
that to remove the effects of a specific poison you need should go home, you’re Drunk!”
rare and hard to find ingredients.
“The cut made by the centipede’s claw isn’t really deep,
but you feel your arm cramp. You were Poisoned.” R idiculous 
Your Decorum can sometimes become a Hindrance.
You can become Ridiculous when you fail a roll to
B roken  reach a higher level of Decorum, or when you get a pie
Additional -1 to all rolls. You always have at least 8 to your face, or lose modesty.
Stress, even after resting or having a Moment’s Respite. To remove this Condition, return to your home or
When you already have 3 Conditions and should room and willingly lower your level of Decorum.
suffer a fourth, you instead become Broken. You can- “As you look in the mirror, it suddenly becomes clear
not suffer any other Condition until you remove one. that that hairdresser was not a professional. With
To remove this Condition you can make an Extreme those powdered rolls you just look Ridiculous.”
roll in Care + Academia, or go to the hospital at the
price of 4 Coins.
“This blow is the straw that broke the mouse’s back. G uilty 
You already have too many Conditions, you’re Broken!” -1 to rolls made to lie, or to act in an evil or improper
fashion.
You can become Guilty when you realize you did
something wrong to someone who didn’t deserve it,
GENERAL CONDITIONS when someone lectures you, or when you receive the
Here you can find some less common Conditions that help or compassion of a past victim of yours.
don’t figure on the Sheet. To remove this Condition you can redeem your-
Feel free to come up with new Conditions when you self and make amends for your past misdeeds.
think they’d make your adventure more fun and engaging. Alternatively, a friend can remove this Condition
by staging an intervention with a Critical roll in
Authority + Society.
B linded  “The littling you were about to rob notices you and, to
-1 to rolls that require sight. your great surprise, does not shout for the gendarmes.
You can become Blinded when you get hit by a They smile and offer you some coins “I’ve gone through
bright light, or when something goes into your eyes. some hard times myself ”. Your throat tightens as you
To remove this Condition you can take some time to take the money and you feel Guilty.”
rest your eyes or rinse them thoroughly.
“The thick dust cloud envelops you. You try to rub your
eyes clean, but are Blinded.”

r 125 s
 Decorum HELP AND HINDRANCE
A high level of Decorum is Helpful when you interact
You can’t really hope to make an entrance to the Great with noble or upper class littlings and when you try to
Yule Ball in Tournoire dressed in rags or with a messy make a good impression in polite society.
mustache, but at the same time, you can’t honestly be- To be admitted in high-end places or to take part in
lieve you’ll be taken seriously by the worst gangs of extremely upscale parties, you could have to also meet
Tuberdam if you’re wearing a powdered wig. a strict dress-code. In such occasions, a high level of
What I mean is, either way, it’s undeniable that the Decorum is actually a key requisite.
Decorum of a littling always matters, and it will dras- At the same time, a low level of Decorum will
tically influence the opinion others have of you. make you look like a hoodlum, and be nothing but a
Hindrance if you try to earn the trust of dignitaries or
There are 5 levels of Decorum: political figures.

ӵ Uncouth: You’re dirty and badly dressed, you Bear in mind that having a high level of Decorum is
look all around disreputable. not always the best idea, because looking Elegant or
ӵ Shabby: You wear scruffy clothes worthy of a Pompous can also be a Hindrance when you’re trying
ruffian. to relate to the good littlings on the skid row and to
ӵ Decent: You’re well combed and dressed criminals, or when you simply wish to go unnoticed and
appropriately for most occasion. avoid catching the attention of thieves and profiteers.
ӵ Elegant: You pay great attention to your Similarly, a low level of Decorum can also prove
appearance and wear refined clothes. Helpful when you’re trying to intimidate someone, or
ӵ Pompous: You’re coiffed to the height of to fit in with the criminals from terrible gangs.
fashion and have a full face of make-up. Your
clothes are practically works of art. On top of that, for every littling of the Household who
gets smitten by elegant clothes and trimmed haircuts,
Your level of Decorum can be either Helpful or there is another who’d much rather be with a scruffy
Hindering depending on the circumstances you’re in littling with a bit of musk. Tastes are tastes!
and the people you’re with.
However, your Decorum is not always relevant to the
story, and should only come into play when it really
makes a difference, or when it can prove useful, inter-
Pictured Here:
esting, or it can be fun. Decorum, as clarified by littlings.

r 126 s
 LOSING DECORUM RAISING YOUR DECORUM
There are 4 ways to lower your Decorum: You can raise your level of Decorum by taking spe-
cific actions, or by paying for the services of a barber,
ӵ When you Fail a roll, the Narrator can hairdresser, or launderer. You’ll also need some new
choose to lower your Decorum as a consequence. clothes, which you can always buy or... borrow.
ӵ When you want to gain +1 to a roll and
willingly choose to lower your Decorum to get it. From Uncouth to Shabby
ӵ When you lose the Requisites for your Wash yourself and your clothes in a puddle or under a
current level of Decorum. leak from the Piping. Or take a good warm bath in a
ӵ When you choose to lower your Decorum. simple tub at the price of 1 Coin.
“While your clothes dry on the mushroom cap, you
If you fail a roll that could result in your Character enjoy a good soak in a puddle of dew. After getting
getting dirty or ruining their clothes, the Narrator can dressed, you become Shabby.”
choose to lower your level of Decorum.
From Shabby to Decent
Narrator: You jump off, bracing yourself for a Give yourself a good once-over in a well-equipped
rough landing... Which gets surprisingly softened bath and buy some new clothes. Or pay a visit to the
by a mound of warm mouse droppings. Lower barber or hairdresser and have them clean you up for
your level of Decorum. 2 Coins.
“The barber cleans your face and you study your fresh-
Before making an Action or Reaction Roll, you can ly shaved reflection in the mirror. You’re now Decent.”
choose to lower your Decorum in exchange for a +1, or
for an even greater Help. From Decent to Elegant
Requires elegant clothes.
Jacob: I tear the sleeve off my shirt and use it You pay a visit to a fancy barber or hairdresser at the
as a bandage for the wound. I’d like to lower my price of 2 Coins. Or make a Critical roll in Grace +
level of Decorum to gain +1 to the Care roll. Academia to style yourself or a friend. If you fail, the
unfortunate littling still raises their Decorum, but they
To be either Elegant or Pompous, you also have to also suffer the Ridiculous Condition.
wear appropriate clothes. If, for any reason, you lose “Your rust-colored tunic flows softly around you. You
or tarnish these precious garments, you can no longer take a moment to appreciate the delicate mold-like
claim that level of Decorum. embroidery before heading out. You’re truly Elegant.”

Narrator: As you were in the bathroom some- From Elegant to Pompous

one stole your jacket and even your hat. Without Requires gala clothes.
your elegant clothes, you’re no longer Elegant and Get primped in a beauty salon. Make-up and hair,
go back to Decent. beard and mustache included, all at the modest price
of 3 Coins. Or make an Extreme roll in Grace +
Obviously, you can always lower your level of Decorum Academia to primp yourself or a friend. If you fail, the
for any reason, maybe by taking off your good clothes, unfortunate littling still raises their Decorum, but they
or by getting a bit dirty and messing up your hair. also suffer the Ridiculous Condition.
“You’re really proud of the soft and voluminous hair-
Sarada: I couldn’t wait to get this stupid dress do they gave you. Not to mention the shiny make-up!
off. I remove the make up and get back in my You look just Pompous. They don’t call this the best
travel clothes. I’d much rather go back to Decent salon of the Dining Hall for nothing.”
than staying Elegant one more second!

r 127 s
 ARGO, THE BUREAUCRAT

Nowadays, we often talk about Wise Paracelsus, about his many wondrous discoveries
and futuristic inventions that made him an important figure in History. But nobody
remembers Argo.
He was the only littling to have ever matched the Pulvid in brightness and foresight-
edness, and for this reason the two of them worked side by side in the great Clock, trying
to solve the many enigmas of the House.

But while Paracelsus found every little thing fascinating, Argo was obsessed with the
great Forces, and above all sought to understand the power of contracts. But Bureaucracy
was a dangerous science, and the consequences of his studies began to show in the crazed
passion that fueled Argo, pushing him to challenge all limits. And so, Paracelsus decided
he would try to get him to give up. And when he saw that all his efforts were in vain, he
abandoned Argo to his own destiny.

Everything we know about Contracts and their workings, we certainly owe to the research
of Argo the Bureaucrat, the Sprite who visited every Household Force and listened to their
whims to understand their secrets. But understanding this power was not enough for him,
he wanted to find a way to control it. And some even say he succeeded, that he gathered all
his knowledge in a legendary Diary, one many littlings still search for, often at great cost.

It was about the year 50 M.G. when the Bureaucrat vanished and people supposed he
died somewhere, some day, because nobody found any trace of him. Paracelsus never
looked for him and showed no interest in Argo’s research, which was quickly washed out
in the collective oblivion, repeatedly discredited, and declared humbug.

But there are some who still believe. Who maintain that Argo the Bureaucrat had
found a way to harness the power of the Forces, tying it to paper and obtaining any
Concession without having to face the Counterpart. Some even wait for his return,
while others still search for him.
Who knows if we’ll ever learn the truth. All that we can do in the meantime is find
comfort in his enigmatic writings, and hold culture and patience as our highest virtues.
We must have faith and believe that, in due time, everything will be revealed, because as
Argo himself has written in his last note:

You asked
the House answers

r 128 s
 V
Contracts
a n d h ow t o s t i p u l at e t h e m

r 129 s
 The Household and Outhold Forces have CONCESSION
complete control over everything. AND COUNTERPART
All that walks, flies, slithers, or climbs, Contracts are divided in two sections: Concession and
can do so only by Their kind concession. Counterpart.

Each Force only cares about

The Concession of a Contract is a gift or an amazing
expanding its own Dominion. ability granted to a littling by one of the Forces, in all
There is always a price to pay of their power and benevolence.
for all that they grant, For example, the Stars granted Faeries the gift of
flight with the Starchild Contract, and the Wall some-
and there is no escaping that. time grants the ability to walk on vertical surfaces to
those who sign the Wallstrider Contract.
Argo, the Bureaucrat
The Counterpart is what a littling offers to the Force
Many have tried to find an explanation for the complex in exchange for its favor, requiring them to always or
nature of Contracts. Most of them either gave up or never do something.
lost their minds. The fact is that these Greater Forces, For example, the Forces of Farbeyond demand,
you could even call them Ancestral, are above us and as a Counterpart of the Revenant from Farbeyond
have power over all that we are and all that we do. Contract, that the Sluagh always pay up after they lose
a bet. The Silence, on the other hand, asks littlings
Just as a bee could never fly if Air chose to disallow it who sign the Neverheard Contract to commit to never
to, a gecko could never walk on a Ceiling that didn’t being loud.
want to be walked on. In sum, everything that exists
and functions in the House exists and functions be- There are various conjectures regarding what exactly
cause of dozens and hundreds of Contracts signed the Forces might get from the name of a littling, or
with great Forces like the Fire, the Water, the Air, the from their ability to climb stairs, all of them as fasci-
Walls, the Dark, the Stars, the Silence, and so on, and nating as they are unfounded. But we will not discuss
so forth, and so further. the topic in this volume.

LITTLINGS AND CONTRACTS TERRIBLE TERRIBLE THINGS

Every littling can rely on the power of at least one When a littling violates a Counterpart, on top of im-
Contract, which binds them to one of the Forces of mediately losing the Concession of the Contract, they
the Household or Outhold. begin to draw bizarre and unbelievable events we call
By the power of this Contract, they obtain a Terrible Terrible Things.
Concession granting amazing, almost supernatural
abilities. In exchange, they commit to always keep to a Some have been attacked by a huntsman spider in the
Counterpart, a small token to pay in exchange for the middle of a great gala, others had their weapons and
good will of greater Forces. armor crumble in the midst of battle, others still ended
up tongue-tied in the middle of an important speech,
All those who dare fail to keep their side of a Contract, or had their legs paralyzed in the middle of an escape,
sooner or later, end up facing a series of Terrible and who knows what other absurd absurdities I can’t
Terrible Things that I wouldn’t wish on my worst even imagine.
enemy.

r 130 s
 STIPULATING A CONTRACT Hereditary
First of all, we need to talk about the different types
of Contracts: Contracts
Ӵ Hereditary Contracts, stipulated long Every littling of the Household receives a Hereditary
ago by the Household Folk. Contract upon birth, formalizing their kinship with
Ӵ Personal Contracts, stipulated between one of the Folk, and granting them all characteristics
an individual littling and a Force. and abilities of their Folk.
Ӵ Welcoming Contracts, essential to gain
entrance into specific places. The Hereditary Contracts are:

Hereditary Contracts are the ancient pacts that bind Ӵ Starchild: Contract of the Faeries.
each Little Folk to a Greater or Ancestral Force. Ӵ Dear to the Hearth: Contract of the
Each Character can rely on a Hereditary Contract Boggarts.
depending on their Folk of origin. This is why Ӵ Out of the Draft, the Drain, or the
Boggarts can rely on the Dear to the Hearth Contract Spark: Contract of the Sprites.
since birth, and why all Undines know they came Out Ӵ Revenant from Farbeyond: Contract of
of the Drain. the Sluagh.

Popular belief is that Hereditary Contracts are al-

ways inherited from the mother. As such, the child of
a Sluagh father and a Fairy mother is born with the COMMITMENT
Starchild Hereditary Contract and is, for all intents Every littling is bound to honor their commitments, so
and purposes, a Fairy. However, this is only a general- long as they are, as the saying goes, freely made. And I
ization with several known exceptions. need to be clear about this.
A commitment is considered void if bound by deceit
Personal Contracts, as the name suggests, are deals or by force.
made personally with a Force by an individual. These For example, a fairy who was physically forced to
are extremely unique deals that offer supernatural sign an agreement is not expected to keep it, and they
powers. face no Terrible Terrible Things.
To stipulate a Personal Contract, your Character However, coercion and cunning can still play a role
needs to have a decent contractual power, which is to and put a littling in the uncomfortable situation where
say, they should have something the Force desires, or they have to do something against their will.
be valiant enough to have caught the Force’s attention. For example, a boggart who gives their word under
duress, or a sprite who accepts payment to transport
Welcoming Contracts, finally, grant you access to plac- an “insect” only to later find out that the insect is a
es that you could never hope to enter or survive, if not spurred centipede, are both required to honor their
for the goodwill of a Force. commitment if they wish to avoid the aforementioned
These are places like the Fireplace Hollow, where a Terrible Terrible Things.
littling without a Kindled Welcoming Contract would
immediately burst into flames. We should never forget that all littlings of the House
To stipulate a Welcoming Contract, one has to get are bound to honor their commitments, as determined
permission from the owner or keeper of the place they by their Hereditary Contract. As such, it is considered
wish to enter and then follow a long list of rules of egregiously rude to impose oneself too much, repeat-
conduct. edly harassing a littling to sign or promise something.
It’s just not something you do!

r 131 s
 Starchild

Like stars ever in the sky,

weightless and fearless, shining sovereigns of
the night, bright heart of the day.
Fairy Wings
Yellow like the sunset, blue like the water, or violet
Like stars, unmovable and unwavering,
like the flowers. Fairy wings are always beautiful and
with ever-true names travelers can rely on always elegant.
They are made of a chitinous see-through membrane
Argo, the Bureaucrat traversed by long veins that tell the story of a Fairy’s
family. These natural designs are actually passed down
They say that, when the Master first began building from parent to child, and there are experts who could
the House, the littlings who lived on that land divided recognize the lineage of a Fairy just by looking at their
into four Folk. wings. Unbelievable!
The Faerie Folk decided to seek refuge in a large
tree growing in the Garden, and they gave it the name When wounded, these wings heal in the span of a few
Dendronaos, the Temple Tree. days, and they rarely suffer aches and pains for long,
And in this tree, as the seasons turned, the Faeries unlike my poor knees. Despite being very resilient,
built a sprawling city, always taking care to show re- however, these wings are not immune to damage. If
spect to their verdant host. they ever sustain hard breaks or even get severed, they
stand no chance of regrowing naturally.
Divided from other littlings, the Faeries often fell vic-
tims to wild insects and squirrels, and also became easy Luckily, the research of a great scholar by the name of
game for birds of prey and their talons. Auguste Fabergé found a solution that is equal parts
With no one else to turn to, they turned to the wonderful and unbelievable. In his clinics in Mount
Stars shining in the night, and stipulated a historical Guignol and Glasburg, he created special cocoons wo-
Contract with them. ven from crystal threads. After entering one of these
comfortable nests, Faeries will fall into a torpor that
So, the bright glint of starlight was caught in their eyes, lasts two to three days, after which their wings are
and the Faeries received a pair of quick wings which completely regenerated. The only side effect is that,
they could use to escape their enemies and fight back. for unknown reasons, the patients’ wings sometimes
In exchange, each of them was asked to utter their change color with this procedure.
name, so that it may be carved in the firmament.

r 132 s
 STARCHILD
HEREDITARY CONTRACT OF THE
FAERIES

ӳ Concession: Wings
Faeries are born with charming and colorful
wings like those of a dragonfly or similarly
dainty insect.
Thanks to these wonderful wings, Faeries can
take to the air with ease and reach places that
would otherwise be beyond reach.

When moving upward, Faeries travel at the

same speed at which they walk. When flying
horizontally, on the other hand, they are
faster, and can even reach the speed at which
one could run.

So long as they are in the air, Faeries suffer

-1 when rolling to dodge bullets or other
projectiles. Additionally, their wings emit
a loud buzzing sound which Hinders their
attempts at stealth.

ӳ Counterpart: Name
All Faeries are bound to honor agreements
they choose to undersign first-hand with
their name.
If they ever fail to do so, they’ll inevitably
face Terrible Terrible Things.

Pictured Here:
Two faeries kissing while flying

r 133 s
 Dear to
the Hearth

The righteous need strength

to carry the weight Judd
of truth
Argo, the Bureaucrat
in the Jug
The Boggart ability of doubling their size and muscle
They say that, when the Master first began building mass for a short stretch of time is commonly known as
the House, the littlings who lived on that land divided going Juggernaut.
into four Folk. This term puzzled many scholars who, over the
The Boggarts saw that the Master was Big and, once years, tried to piece together the improbable etymol-
the House was built, they decided to live in there with ogy behind it.
him.
To repay the Master’s warm hospitality, these Oral tradition sheds some light on this story with a
good-natured littlings got to work and faithfully moving anecdote that dates back to many years before
served the Family. the Master’s disappearance.

However, Boggarts weren’t strong enough to keep at Apparently, there was a very curious sprite then, some
bay the large spiders threatening their homes hidden even say that they were a real scientist, interested in
in the Walls, and they spent their nights in terror. littlings and their Contracts. To examine a boggart up
With no one else to turn to, they turned to the close, they decided to lure him to the Kitchen with an
Household Fire burning fat and strong in the Fireplace excuse, and trap him under a large glass jug.
Hollow, and made an age-old deal. The poor prisoner was a good littling named Judd
who, overwhelmed by the situation, called on the pow-
So, Boggarts received the gift of growing and the er of his Hereditary Contract and “went juggernaut”,
strength of a hundred littlings. moving the jug to the edge and sending it crashing
In exchange, they were asked to renounce all lowness down (the dutiful Boggart later cleaned up all the
and dishonesty that could be seen as unworthy of the shards).
Family who welcomed them near their Hearth.
Thus, the legend of Judd going Juggernaut in the Jug
was born!

r 134 s
 DEAR TO THE HEARTH
HEREDITARY CONTRACT OF THE
BOGGARTS

ӳ Concession: Juggernaut
Once per Session, Boggarts can go jug-
gernaut, drastically increasing their size,
strength, and resistance.
When going juggernaut, Boggarts can
grow up to twice their size, and their
bodies ripple with powerful muscles as
hard as numismatic metal.

Going juggernaut is Helpful for all rolls

made in the Field of War, but Hindering
for any other action. During combat,
juggernaut Boggarts always have +1
to all their Action and Reaction Rolls.
Additionally, juggernaut Boggarts always
ignore all Conditions.

When going juggernaut, Boggarts auto-

matically lose one level of Decorum, as
they tear through any precious items of
clothing or armor they are wearing. They
remain in juggernaut for a maximum of 5
turns, but can choose to voluntarily lose
this status at any time. When they stop
juggernauting, Boggarts receive the Tired
Condition, if they don’t have it already.

ӳ Counterpart: Word of Honor

Boggarts are always bound to keep their
word of honor.
If they ever fail to honor a promise they
uttered explicitly, they inevitably fall
victims to Terrible Terrible Things.

Pictured Here:
A juggernauting boggart helps a ladybug.

r 135 s
 Spark, Drain,
and Draft

“For all that depresses in depth.

For all that craves heights and vertigo. One Counterpart
For all that is ever-changing, and Salamanders, Undines, and Sylphs each gain different
ever-wanting. Concessions, but they share the same Counterpart.

Argo, the Bureaucrat ӳ Counterpart: Coin

Sprites, whether they are Salamanders, Undines,
They say that, when the Master first began building or Sylphs, are bound to do anything they agree to
the House, the littlings who lived on that land divided after a regular, free negotiation ending in payment.
into four Folk. If they ever fail to do so, they’ll inevitably face
Sprites noticed how Big the Master was and decided Terrible Terrible Things.
they would live in his shadow, hidden within the Walls
of the House.

Forced to steal from the Pantry and move constantly OUT OF THE SPARK
in order to survive, Sprites turned to the House itself, HEREDITARY CONTRACT OF SALAMANDERS
and its Forces.
ӳ Concession: Enlightenment
Some went to the Fire in the Fireplace Hollow, obtain- Salamanders know they came Out of the Spark
ing the fickleness of the Spark and the gift of enlight- thanks to the Contract binding them to the Fire.
enment, and they became Salamanders. Salamanders have bioluminescence in their hands,
feet, and nose. So long as they are not Broken,
Some went to the Water in the depths of the Piping, Salamanders can “turn on” these extremities and
obtaining the heft of the Drain and the gift of water use them as cold, inextinguishable torches.
retention, and they became Undines.
Additionally, Salamanders can occasionally
Finally, some went to the Air in the Great Window, rely on a striking epiphany, which grants them
obtaining the lightness of the Draft and the gift of an instinctive knowledge of things about to
bloating, and they became Sylphs. happen. As such, once per Session, Salamanders
can call upon their enlightenment to repeat one
All of them had to renounce dabbling in exchange. Action Roll of any kind with an additional +1.

Pictured on the right:

A salamander’s enlightenment,
an undine's water retention,
and a sylph’s bloating. r 136 s
 OUT OF THE DRAIN
HEREDITARY CONTRACT OF UNDINES

ӳ Concession: Water Retention

Undines know they came Out of the Drain and
have an affinity with Water.
The shiny, swollen bodies of Undines grant
them a form of natural resistance, which is
Helpful whenever they fall.

Additionally, Undines can naturally retain

water, to the point they are almost sponges,
able to hold great volumes of liquid in their
bodies. As such, once per Session, upon filling
the Crucial Box, Undines can absorb all excess
Stress without having to fill in additional boxes.
When doing so, they sweat profusely and lose
one level of Decorum.
For example, an undine who would normally
suffer 9 Stress, can choose to only suffer 8, up
to the point when they fill in the Crucial Box.

OUT OF THE DRAFT

HEREDITARY CONTRACT OF SYLPHS

ӳ Concession: Bloating
Sylphs came Out of the Draft, and they share
its legendary lightness.
Sylph bones are hollow and elongated, making
them so light they never leave footprints, not
even when walking over dust. At least, not
unless a Sylph is carrying a load big enough to
force them down to earth.

Additionally, Sylphs can rely on the gift of

bloating and ingest large quantities of air, in-
flating like a balloon. As such, once per Session,
Sylphs can bloat up to gain a Help in any rolls
regarding stealth, subtlety, or balance. This
bloating lasts for up to 5 consecutive turns.
To remain bloated, Sylphs have to hold their
breath, as such, they can’t talk while doing so.

r 137 s
 Revenant from
Farbeyond

Black is the path to Farbeyond.

A Glass
of xxx
Blind the eyes of those who tread it.
Argo, the Bureaucrat
They say that, when the Master first began building When traveling to any city in the Basement, but espe-
the House, the littlings who lived on that land divided cially when setting foot in the worst dives of Dasewer,
into four Folk. you can stumble into a famous beverage that is bound
The Sluagh chose to abandon their ancestral home, to catch the eye of the unwary tourist.
setting off on a long pilgrimage that led them to a
distant and mysterious place known as the Farbeyond. This liquor is known as XXX, it is pale green in color,
and that should be enough to dissuade even the most
Lost in an unknown land, the Sluagh were plagued by reckless littling from drinking it.
all manner of ailments and sickness, and they slowly Anyway, this alcoholic hogwash is practically poi-
began to rot, much like a plant that has lost its roots. son for any littling. Well, except for the Sluagh who,
With no one else to turn to, they loudly began to call thanks to their unique healing factors, can guzzle end-
onto the Forces of Farbeyond, whose name and shape less amounts of it.
are unknown to all in the Household.
What’s worse, there is even a “concentrated” version of
And as a gift, all Sluagh had their veins filled with a the drink, that is a deep, dark purple liquid known as
new type of blood, dark and dense as molasses. Slow XXXXX.
and thick as a starless night. This nauseating spirit goes beyond being “practically
In exchange, they were asked to give up all unfin- poison”. It is poison in the most literal and basic mean-
ished business. ing of the word.

By the power of this deal, the Sluagh became an un- Even to this day, scholars in the House are racking
stoppable horde, and they successfully made a journey their brains as to how the Sluagh can manage to knock
nobody had ever dared to attempt: the journey back to it back without falling dead on the spot. And the
the House. Sluagh usually answer with a toast!

r 138 s
 REVENANT FROM FARBEYOND
HEREDITARY CONTRACT
OF THE SLUAGH

ӳ Concession: Unbleeding
The dark, dense blood that flows through
the veins of the Sluagh has incredible heal-
ing powers, and makes them able to shrug
off with great ease even lethal wounds.
Thanks to this wondrous ability, a Sluagh
always has a Help when rolling to avoid
sickness or drunkenness.

Additionally, once per Session, the Sluagh

can call on their extremely fast regener-
ation power to avoid suffering the Hurt,
Poisoned, Sick, or Drunk Condition, or to
avoid suffering Stress as a consequence of
an attack or other physical danger (like a
fall from height, or a strong impact).

ӳ Counterpart: Debt
When a Sluagh accepts a bet and loses,
they’re forced to honor their debt. If they
ever fail to do so, they’ll inevitably face
Terrible Terrible Things.

Pictured Here:
A sluagh isn’t fazed by
a duel to the last blood.
 THE HOUSEHOLD FORCES

Air, Water, and Fire, these Forces dominate over the House since the Master
disappeared.
We will probably never know for sure which one of them is the oldest – and thus
most powerful – but there are some theories.

According to some, the Fire was burning in the Fireplace when the Master disap-
peared. Its flames were strong, its embers hungry, and it ruled undisputed for three
days and three nights... before it started choking. Without the Family to open
doors and windows, there was no more oxygen to satiate its burning lungs, and on
the fourth day, the Fire was coughing and sputtering dark, billowing smoke.

It was then that the Fire blew with all its might, sending Soot, its servant, up
the chimney. The black ambassador sought out the Air, which in turn signed a
Contract with the Fire and came back to live in the House. But as days went by,
the Air fell ill. She went to the bed of coals where the Fire was resting, fat and
bright, and pleaded it to quell its hunger. The Air was coarse, dry, and almost spent,
and the Fire feared for its life. In the end, it had to grant a Contract to the Water,
so it could heal the Air, and it’s easy to believe those who say it first tried with oil,
ink and even wine before stooping to this!

According to others, Water was the one to remain, headstrong and patient, in the
Pipes and drains, holding the House in its damp fingers. But Water was both mas-
ter and prisoner, trapped in the cold metal and locked in the walls of its dominion.

It was then that it sent the mold, its servant, to seek out the Fire, and signed a
Contract with it. The Fire’s heat made Water light, turning it into a thin mist,
smaller than any dewdrop, which could waft to freedom. But the Water loves and
wants all that is low, and deep, and below: everything that depresses. In its vapor
form, stuck on the ceiling, Water called onto the Air, allowing it to enter, and the
Air cooled the House in exchange, so that water could return to flow, and defy the
Fire, that wanted to keep it prisoner up above.

r 140 s
By now you already understand that there are some that say the Air was the first
true inhabitant and master of the House, so I’ll just tell you why. They say the
Master had created the House to host Water and Fire, but to his own liking. As
such their presence was welcome, surely, but limited in time and season, subject to
his whims. But the Air was no guest, it was a resident. No time, no place, no secret
was kept from it.

When the House was left vacant, the Air inherited it as new master, and it lightly
caressed every memory in its rooms and hallways, sweeping them in the Fall with
warm leaves. They also say, it granted contracts and shelter to Water and Fire,
maybe to honor the old times, maybe out of laziness.

But if you’ve lived long enough to hear all three of these stories, sooner or later you
end up asking the right people to tell you more. Maybe the wrong people? Maybe
simply weirder people.
I once was told that Water, Air, and Fire, are all equally ancient Forces, and they
are all equally bound by Contract to another Force, their superior.
When the Master disappeared, they said, the House remained empty. The
Fireplace was ashen, the Pipes dry, the Windows closed. No Force could enter the
abandoned domains, life itself had forsaken these rooms. Then it came.

Out of nothing. Impalpable.

At first light, tenuous, delicate. Then it grew thick. And the ivory keys, the crystal
glasses, the standing mirrors, and abandoned silvers, and all that once shone bright,
became muted, covered in the gray embrace of the new master of the House: Dust.

It’s useless to ask me what I believe: I’d answer that, when nobody can know the
truth, each story is as good as the next and four stories are better than one.
Those who believe everything may be wrong, but those who don’t believe any-
thing at all can’t possibly be right.

r 141 s
Pictured Here:
r 142 s
A fairy accepting the Contract offered
by a Golden Silk Orbweaver.
 Personal voices, and offer each of them a Contract in exchange

Contracts for their life. In rare, almost unheard of cases, they can
also offer one as a gift to show gratitude.

A Personal Contract is a deal struck directly with one Finally, hidden throughout the House, there are also
of the Household Forces or one of their representatives. Argo’s Contracts, precious legendary artifacts that en-
These miraculous agreements that grant supernat- capsulate the power of a Contract within them.
ural Concessions are so rare, that most littlings of the
Household will spend their entire life without ever
even hearing about them.
ARGO’S LEGENDARY
Personal Contracts leave an indelible mark on those who CONTRACTS
strike them. They impose extremely harsh Counterparts Argo the Bureaucrat was the best and greatest
and, on top of that, can also change the behavior and Household scholar to ever study the Contracts. Some
even the spirit of a littling, altering their very nature. say that, before his mysterious disappearance years
ago, the sprite had managed to control the power of
And so, littlings who stipulate a Neverheard Contract Contracts, sealing it on a paper surface.
earn the utmost secrecy, but lose the ability to sing and While it may seem absurd, these Contracts can
shout. And littlings who enter a Vainglory Contract still allegedly be found throughout the House, folded
are always inexplicably elegant, but also become boor- neatly in dusty books or rolled up like ancient scrolls.
ish and competitive. They all appear to the reader in their native language,
sometimes even speaking in their head like coaxing
echoes of promises.

STIPULATING A To sign these proxy agreements, littlings might have to

PERSONAL CONTRACT tear them in half or even eat them, but most often, the
If you have what we call contractual power – that is, Contracts have the ability to change and adapt to the
if you have something that a Force or one of its repre- Hereditary Contract of the littling holding them For
sentatives wants – you could be chosen to stipulate a example, they might add a dotted line for signature if
Personal Contract. the reader is a Fairy, or hide a Crystal in the envelope
Each of these Contracts is drawn up in different for a Sprite to find, ask a Boggart to give their word,
ways in different circumstances. For example, you and even go so far as to ask a Sluagh if they’d bet their
might be approached by a mysterious stranger, or you life. Then, they crumble into ash.
might hear a deep voice on the wind, or echoing in the
Pipes. Some even state that they entered a Contract If you believe it is impossible for a piece of paper to
in their dreams. Anyway, most would agree that the grant a littling the riches of a Goldthirst Contract, or
Forces only manifest in the most desperate situations. the stealth of a Neverheard Contract, or who knows
what other great concession, you should remember
Another possible way of obtaining a Personal Contract that the one who transcribed them was no ordinary
is to meet one of the legendary beasts that lurk in the littling. After all, Argo listened to the stories of the
furthest corners of the House, like the Sunset Devil, or Spark and dived to the depths of the Drain, he whis-
Bismilla the centipede. These unique specimens derive pered to the Draft and dined at the grim table of the
their greatness from one or more Forces, and also act spider court, and finally, he stared into the scorching
as their representatives. darkness of the False Fire.
Upon being defeated or saved, these creatures can That should suffice for you to accept that there are
talk to the heart of littlings with incredibly deep, suave mysteries we still don’t understand.

r 143 s
 WALLSTRIDER
PERSONAL CONTRACT

The Wallstrider Contract is an agreement between a

littling and the Walls.
It can be offered by the Sunset Devil, a fearsome
huntsman spider, or by other representatives of the
Wall.

Ӵ Concession: Spider-step
You can walk and run on any vertical surface
just as you would on a floor. You can also ride GOLDTHIRST
beetles and snails as they climb on a Wall PERSONAL CONTRACT
without the risk of being thrown from the
saddle. The Goldthirst Contract is an agreement between a
While you never run the risk of falling, this littling and the Cash.
does not extend to your clothes or posses- It can be offered by Mammon, the weaver of the
sions. Mind your hat! golden web in Rosevault, or by other representatives
of the Cash.

Ӵ Counterpart: Left-footed ӵ Concession: Profit

You lose the right perspective on your You inexplicably begin to accumulate money
surroundings, and generally have a hard time and wealth.
staying grounded. Whenever you obtain some Coins, an
unexpected, providential, or simply lucky
When going up or down the stairs, you event also occurs and you obtain double the
always have to make the first step with your amount.
left foot. If you don’t specifically say this, the This happens for all Coins you find, earn,
Narrator will roll a numeric die to randomly steal, or gain at the beginning of a Chapter,
determine which foot you used. If you ever but not for money you borrow.
fail to comply with this clause, you’ll inevita-
bly face Terrible Terrible Things.
To put an end to these Terrible Terrible ӵ Counterpart: Expensive Taste
Things, you must retread the same stairs You’re a spendthrift and love to waste your
backwards and break the last step. wealth to satisfy your every whim. At the
same time, you’re greedy and pinch pennies
when it comes to others. No Force in this
House could persuade you to lend (let alone
give away) money to others.

You have to swallow 1 Coin every night, and

if you ever fail to comply with this clause, you
inevitably face Terrible Terrible Things.
To put an end to these Terrible Terrible
Things, you must eat 33 Coins in a single
meal.

r 144 s
 NEVERHEARD
PERSONAL CONTRACT

The Neverheard Contract is an agreement between a

littling and the Silence.
It can be offered by the Fog Giant, the net-casting
spider that haunts Dreadwood, or by other representa-
tives of the Silence.
VAINGLORY
Ӵ Concession: Quiet PERSONAL CONTRACT
Your steps and movements are unnaturally
quiet. Your clothes don’t rustle and your boots The Vainglory Contract is an agreement between a
don’t clack, even when you step on wood. littling and the Mirror.
You gain a great Help whenever you try to It can be offered by Bismilla, the Giant Centipede
hide or move without being heard, as well as slithering through the Inbetweens of the Realm, or by
when you make a sneak attack on unsuspect- other representatives of the Mirror.
ing enemies.

ӵ Concession: Sophistication
Ӵ Counterpart: Muffled You are always the picture of refined elegance.
You can no longer shout or sing, your voice You have a natural sense of style and grace
always sounds like a low murmur or whisper. without equal.
You can never be less than Decent and your
You have to do your best to avoid making Decorum is never a Hindrance. You automat-
any noise, like you would when playing an ically become Elegant when wearing elegant
instrument, shooting, or breaking glass. If clothes, and Pompous when wearing gala
you ever fail to comply with this clause, you’ll clothes.
inevitably face Terrible Terrible Things. Additionally, you never lose Decorum as a
To put an end to these Terrible Terrible consequence of a Failure, you never get dirty,
Things you must remain completely silent for and never get the Ridiculous Condition.
two days and two nights.

ӵ Counterpart: Perfection
You always have to be the best, you compare
yourself to others in all aspects of life. You
never listen to others’ suggestions or opinions
and always feel like you know best.

You do your best to never ask for anyone’s help

and always use new, refined weapons and items.
If you ever fail to comply with these clauses,
you’ll inevitably face Terrible Terrible Things.
To put an end to these Terrible Terrible Things
you must spend a night with a high-born
littling.

r 145 s
 Terrible Only the Narrator knows if and which Terrible

Terrible Things Terrible Things might befall you during the Session,
and they are tasked with making sure that these di-
sastrous or troublesome events hinder you at the worst
When children first learn about Contracts and their possible times in the story.
Counterparts in school, they will always, without ex-
ception, end up pestering a poor teacher with questions Lazarus has 2 levels of TTTs.
like “But what happens if I don’t?”. When the Session begins, the Narrator secretly
Losing patience, parents and pedagogues usually an- rolls a die and gets a 1. They refer to Table I of
swer curtly “Terrible Terrible Things!”, and the expres- the Terrible Terrible Things, and roll once again
sion quickly became part of the common vernacular. to choose one of the 6 misfortunes on the table.
This was also helped by the fact that Argo the They get a 3 “A stroke of bad luck ruins your
Bureaucrat proposed the use of the term “Extreme clothes. Lower your level of Decorum.”
repercussions for failing to uphold contractual obliga-
tions”, which was much harder to remember. Without saying anything to the Players, the
Narrator makes a note and starts the Session.
Whenever you fail to uphold the Counterpart of a When they feel the time is right, they describe
Contract, you immediately suffer one level of Terrible something unexpected that immediately ruins
Terrible Things, from now on fondly known as TTTs. Lazarus’ clothes.
From then on, you can no longer rely on the
Concession of the violated Contract. That is, not until
you find a way to make amends.
Additionally, every Session you risk falling victim MAKING TTT WORSE
to a bothersome or dangerous accident. This is the If you have at least one level of TTTs and face no
House’s way of saying that it’s not happy with you! Terrible Terrible Things during the Session, at the end
of the game your TTTs level increases by 1. Falling
There are 5 levels of TTTs, each of them tied to a ta- victim to the House’s tricks will get easier and easier.
ble of misfortunes, and each more nefarious than the You also increase your level of Terrible Terrible
previous. Things whenever you make another violation of a
Contract, including the one you already violated.

SUFFERING
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE THINGS MAKING TTT STOP
When you incur Terrible Terrible Things, the Narrator The only way to make Terrible Terrible Things stop
secretly rolls a numeric die at the beginning of the is to amend your previous violation of the Contract by
Session to determine which misfortunes will haunt respecting the commitment you ignored, or by earning
you during the game. a pardon for what you’ve done, or the harm you might
have directly or indirectly caused. Personal Contracts
If the result of the roll is higher than your level of also offer small superstitious rituals you can practice to
TTTs, nothing happens. stop the flow of TTTs.
If you violated only one Contract you lose all accumu-
If the result of the roll is equal or lower to your level of lated TTTs levels when you earn the pardon of the House
TTTs, the Narrator goes on to consult the table that and make amends. If you violated more than one Contract,
corresponds with the rolled number, rolling again to making amends for one of the infractions only allows you
randomly choose one of the 6 misfortunes on the table. to reduce your TTTs level to half, rounded down.

r 146 s
 TTT LEVEL I
I You’re victim of a theft. You lose 2 Coins. If you don’t have them, lower your Wealth level.
II A group of annoying roaches attacks you as you sleep.
III A stroke of bad luck ruins your clothes. Lower your level of Decorum.
IIII Every little thing is going wrong. After so many setbacks you become Tired.
V You’re always annoyed. Whenever you remove Stress, you immediately suffer 3 Stress.
VI You meet someone you used to know. They waste a lot of your time.

TTT LEVEL II
I You tied your shoes or boots wrong. -1 to a roll related to moving.
II You caught a cold or got indigestion. You’re Sick.
III Your weapon gets stuck in the sheath or jams. -1 to the first roll in combat.
IIII You draw the hostile attention of a swarm of wasps.
V The dust makes you sneeze at the worst possible time. -1 to a roll related to stealth.
VI A mischievous child is targeting you; they won’t lay off for one day.

TTT LEVEL III

I A weapon or item slips from your hand at the worst possible time.
II There’s a bad misunderstanding. The gendarmes or a criminal gang mistake you for someone else.
III You accidentally swallow poison or some spoiled food. You’re Poisoned.
IIII You take a wrong turn or get separated from your friends, and end up facing danger alone.
V You fall into the trap of a common spider or get Scared by an arachnid.
VI You pay for your insolence. Your Terrible Terrible Things grow to level V.

TTT LEVEL IIII

I You get run over by a cart or rearing beast, or end under some rubble. You’re Hurt.
II Your weapon breaks or bursts. You suffer 3 Stress and lose the weapon.
III A spurred centipede is stalking you from afar. It will strike when you least expect it.
IIII If you rolled a Jackpot!, discard it and repeat the roll with -1. Such rotten luck!
V You’re tormented by scenes of your past. Your Memories can only be a Hindrance.
VI You make a terrible mistake. After you play an Ace, you lose it and get no benefit.

TTT LEVEL V
I Your sworn enemy gains a form of leverage or great advantage.
II You’re haunted by ill luck. Everything can and will be a Hindrance. Nothing can Help you.
III When it rains, it pours. Whenever you suffer a Condition, you immediately suffer another.
IIII You’re inexplicably unable to act. You automatically fail one very important roll.
V You’re uneasy, your hands shake. You cannot use Free Re-rolls.
VI A giant huntsman spider barges in in a moment of great tension and wreaks havoc.

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 Welcoming
Contracts The Domain
The only way to enter Samaraknid is to cross the Silk
Road, a vertical bridge made of precious and delicate
Contract
spider silk, with the help of a friendly wolf spider. The most important Welcoming
However, you’re still bound to fall into the void and Contract of all is the Domain
hopelessly crash into the Great Blade as soon as you Contract. This is the most ancient
reach the city. After all, Samaraknid hangs on the agreement tying each of us littlings to
Ceiling and is completely built upside-down. the House we inhabit.

The heart of Cinderhall stands behind the Cast Iron Thanks to this mysterious power
Gates and into the Fireplace Hollow. Sneaking in is that Argo the Beaurocrat and Wise
almost impossible, but anyone who succeeds in this Paracelsus spent years studying, every
difficult task, will get burned up by the heat of the object and every place in the House
Household Fire in a matter of minutes. They’ll just grows in size as it grows in relevance.
have time to regret their foolish idea. Once upon a time, the Master’s
power established the correct size of
The only way to safely enter these and who knows his home, which was as spacious as
what other unreachable and unlivable places scattered needed by the Family that inhabited
throughout the House is to get a specific contractual it. Today, in his absence, the House
extension known as a Welcoming Contract. decided to grant its space on the ba-
sis of the contractual power of each
littling and place, as well as of its in-
STIPULATING A scrutable whims.
WELCOMING CONTRACT
As such, it should not surprise us
To stipulate a Welcoming Contract, you must meet when an entire city fits inside a
the owner or keeper of the place you wish to enter, and Drawer and is, in fact, much larger
obtain their formal “Welcome”. than the container. It’s the power of
These littlings are often disinclined to grant their
the Domain Contract!
favor to just anyone. Quite the contrary, they are ex-
tremely selective.
For example, Laio the Handsome grants a chance
to enter Samaraknid only to his most revered guests
and to littlings who show great intelligence and pas-
sion. Sir Edward Ashworth, on the other hand, only
allows access to Cinderhall to members and knights VIOLATING A
of the Cinder Order and to littlings he deems per- WELCOMING CONTRACT
sonally worthy and deserving of approaching the Whenever you violate the Counterpart of a Welcoming
Household Fire. Contract, you do not suffer Terrible Terrible Things
and do not increase your TTTs level. You simply lose
A Welcoming Contract lasts for the length of your all benefits of the Concession.
stay and gets automatically rescinded upon leaving.
In all confidence, that is punishment enough!

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 UPSIDE-DOWN WELCOME KINDLED WELCOME
WELCOMING CONTRACT WELCOMING CONTRACT

The Skullrider and Caliph of Al Sehir, Laio the To gain entrance to the Fireplace Hollow you need
Handsome has the power to offer an Upside-Down permission from the Grim Knight, Edward Ashworth
Welcome Contract to all guests he deems worthy of or from a Cinder Knight appointed by him.
visiting Samaraknid. Only the most important members of the Order have
In his absence, some faithful officials might offer this the power to offer this contract to worthy littlings.
Contract in his stead.
Ӵ Concession: Access to Cinderhall
ӵ Concession: Access to Samaraknid When entering Cinderhall you’re met with a
As soon as your feet touch the ground in blast of fiery air that heats your body.
Samaraknid, the world turns upside-down.
Above becomes below and the other way So long as you are within the Cast Iron City,
around. As you look up, you might think Al the Fire will not harm you and you may touch
Sehir is on the ceiling. even the most scalding surfaces without
burning yourself.
So long as you remain in the city, you can The general recommendation is to keep
walk upside-down without the risk of falling. hydrated, and to simply accept that some
This does not extend to your clothes and locks of hair will get burned and you will
accessories, which can be tied to your person need a couple washes to remove the thick
with cobweb harnesses available at the sooth from your clothes.
entrance for your convenience.

Ӵ Counterpart: Rules of Cinderhall

ӵ Counterpart: Rules of Samaraknid During your stay in Cinderhall you may
During your stay in Samaraknid you may not steal and you may never pose the same
never harm a spider, not even in self defense. question twice. Additionally, you may not
You also may not take things that don’t meet the Household Fire alone.
belong to you. If you ever fail to comply with these rules,
you’re immediately enveloped in flames,
If you ever fail to comply with these rules, become Overstressed, and suffer the Broken
you immediately lose the ability to walk Condition.
upside-down and, most likely, begin your last,
long fall that will end with an impact on the At this point, you may make amends and
roofs of the capital. go back on your steps. If you don’t, you’ll be
consumed by the flames and Bow Out. The
only way to avoid meeting your early demise
is to receive the less-than-likely clemency of a
Cinder Knight.

r 149 s
 THE DOMAIN CONTRACT

How big is the House? Many scholars have been brought to the brink of madness in search of an
answer to this age-old question. Every time they tried to measure a Room, the numbers came out
different from those recorded before, or after. Sometimes the different sides of the same corridor
figured as having different lengths. Sometimes by a lot. There’s an interesting essay on the topic
written by an architect from the Realm: they demonstrated that the surface of the Table in the
Dining Hall was up to ten times bigger than the Floor section delimited by its wide legs. This
discovery sparked long discussions but was ultimately dismissed as a calculation error.

The most creditable hypothesis to date is the one formulated by Wise Paracelsus. He firmly be-
lieves in the existence of an extraordinary Welcoming Contract binding all littlings to the House:
the Domain Contract.
As Paracelsus explains, the size of the House had remained stable and constant so long as the
greater power of the Master kept it so. With him gone, there was nobody powerful enough or
important enough to bend the House to their will. According to this hypothesis, the contractual
power of each littling or location determines the size, or perceived size of the space; as such, the
places in the House which have greater importance – a densely populated city, for example – be-
come or appear larger than the others.

Think about when you were a child, for example: your home seemed huge, as did its tables, beds,
and chairs. This is because you were not the owner of the house, you had no rights to move or
change the furniture, or to knock down walls. When you return to that same home as a grownup,
everything looks much smaller. You could be led to think that is due to the fact that you have
grown, becoming taller, but that is not true. As we age we gain more power over the things that
surround us, we gain the ability to replace old chairs, or change the floor of a room, and with
our power, the Domain Contracts causes our size to also grow – or the World’s size to shrink,
depending on which theory you follow.
To find further proof of this phenomenon, a noble mansion, or even of the imperial palace, it
will surely appear huge to you, and you’ll probably wonder what use do they have for such large
rooms. The truth is that, to them, their house does not appear large, and in conversation you may
even hear them say it’s too small, and perhaps that they envy the larger mansion of a friend. This
happens because they have more importance than you, and thus more contractual power.

Another illustration of this theory is the fact that the House is inhabited by beasts of gargan-
tuan dimensions. Think about Reginella, the mother of all spiders. She can no longer fit in the
Inbetweens and some even say she is dozens of tiny meters tall! According to the Wise Paracelsus,
this is because such an important spider must have enormous contractual power and, as such,
everything must seem tiny to her just as she appears huge to us.

Once he made this amazing discovery, the Pulvid was also able to build the first household com-
pass: an extraordinary contraption that picks up the energy of the Domain Contract and always
points to the center of the House. Without this incredible invention, facing the long, unpredictable
journeys through this wonderful World would be much harder.

r 150 s
 VI
Equipment & Wealth
of coins, items, weapons, and gadgets

r 151 s
 Wealth leader of a criminal gang: if you don’t return with the
loot by the end of the month, it’s gonna turn grim!
Did you grow up in one of the beautiful palaces in There are four levels of Wealth:
Astraviya, surrounded by valets, tutors, and servants
ready to indulge your every whim? Or were you forced ӵ Poor: You begin the game with 2 Coins.
to grow up quickly, beginning to work on your family You’re used to living day to day, taking any odd
farm as soon as your legs could support you? job that comes your way. Despite the fact that
you do your best to change your situation, your
Your Wealth plays an essential role in this game. list of debts keeps getting longer and you can
First of all, it represents your economic welfare, al- only dream of a better tomorrow.
lowing you to access specific goods and services with- You can always afford to spend the night in a
out losing a single coin. stable, to find an unpretentious meal, or to buy
For example, if you’re Middle Class, it means you a drink at bar on the skid row.
have a roof over your head and can always afford to
eat something in a simple establishment. And if you’re ӵ Middle Class: You begin the game with 5
Rich, nothing is beyond your means, you always stay at Coins
the best hotels of the House. You’re used to a modest and decent lifestyle.
You can indulge few vices but never have to go
Secondly, your Wealth determines the number of without what you need.
Coins you have. You can always afford to stay in a simple room,
Coins are an extremely precious resource that you to eat at a nice tavern, or to pay for passage on a
can use to buy equipment and services beyond the cart or in a caravan.
budget allowed by your Wealth level.
For example, let’s say you’re Well-off, this means you ӵ Well-off: You begin the game with 10 Coins
can always afford an inkwell or a pipe, but you’ll still You’re used to a life of great comfort and never
have to spend 3 Coins to buy elegant clothes. have to think about your expenses. Most people
look at you in envy, some turn to you in search
Finally, your Wealth is an interesting prompt to inspire of favors or small loans.
your stories. Let’s say your group was invited to the You can always afford a hotel room for you and
Great Yule Ball, or to the Samhain celebrations at the your guests, a good dinner in a fancy restaurant,
Caliph’s palace. You need gala clothes for this occasion. or a ride in a carriage.
But can you afford them? Distant relatives always seem
to overstay their welcome with you. Could that be be- ӵ Rich: You begin the game with 15 Coins
cause you’re Rich? You’re eating out of the hand of the You’re used to the finest things in life, constant-
ly surrounded by the top choice of items and
services. Nothing is too lush or too expensive
for you. You have many friends, and all of them
want a slice of your fortune.
You can always reserve the most beautiful and
spacious room in the best hotels of the House,
or the best table in restaurants frequented by
polite society. What many would regard as
overstated luxury, is just a daily expense for you.

On the left: a crystal and some banknotes.

On the right: plates and grains.

r 152 s
 STARTING WEALTH
You begin the game with a number of Coins deter-
mined by your Wealth level.
You can spend those Coins to buy your starting
equipment. When you acquired everything you want,
you can mark any leftover Coins on your Sheet.

You’re free to choose the starting Wealth level that most

suits your Character’s prologue and your preferences.
I recommend that most Characters in your group be-
gin as Middle Class, with 5 Coins in their pockets. You
should only choose a different starting Wealth level if
it’s very important or useful for your Character’s story.

Z
A littling owns nothing.
The House belongs to the Master.
Everything in the House belongs to the Master. RAISING & LOWERING
We are only here as guests. YOUR WEALTH
As your story progresses, you might find priceless works
Benjamin “Big Ben” Hearthworth of art and unspeakable treasures, you might even re-
ceive peerage titles and lavish inheritances. Whenever
Z this happens, it’s up to the Narrator to establish if your
If you choose to play a Poor Character who has a pre- Wealth level has increased.
carious financial situation or lives in poverty, you only
get 2 Coins. To compensate for your unlucky start, Clearly, the higher your Wealth level, the harder it will
you begin your adventure with a free Joker. You clearly be to raise it.
know how to get by.
A Poor Character inherits a small house in the
If you choose to play as a Well-off Character from a outskirts of the capital and a handful of crumpled
well-to-do family, or as someone who really excelled in banknotes. This modest fortune is enough to
their career, you’ll have to give up one of the Aces up bring them into Middle Class.
your Sleeve you’d usually begin with. You’re too used to
comfortable living. A Well-off Character inherits the same amount
In exchange, you get a good income and 10 Coins. and, on top of their level of Wealth staying just
the same, they also have to deal with the annoy-
Finally, if you want to play as a Rich Character, you ing red tape.
should talk with the other Players and the Narrator
first. Together you’ll decide if that is what’s best for On your adventures, you could also suffer an economic
the story. downfall or a terrible robbery, or you could lose all your
If everyone agrees, you have to give up both Aces savings because of gambling or really bad investments.
up your Sleeve, but immediately gain 15 Coins in ex- When this happens, the Narrator might choose to
change. It’s a small fortune! lower your Wealth level.
In all confidence, Rich Characters are extremely rare. The richer you are, the more you stand to lose.
The exception rather than the rule.

r 153 s
 Coins
The money that you carry on you or can easily access is
represented as Coins.
Crystals
For the sake of clarity, Coins are not physical cur- Crystals are the official currency of
rency, they are a symbolic sum used here to streamline the Household. They are thick coins
the narration. made of crystal representing different
symbols on either side, depending on
Everything you can do and buy because of your Wealth the nation.
level, you can do and buy freely.
You only have to use Coins for extra things. Everyday purchases are usually made
using Plates, which are flat and wide
metal coins each worth a tenth of a
crystal.
EARNING COINS Smaller purchases yet can be made
You can earn Coins by selling items, by taking odd using Grains, which are irregular
jobs, and, in corner cases, by stealing from others. fragments of precious metals and are
You can sell pieces of equipment for a quarter of valued at one tenth of a plate.
their cost. What can you do, it’s a time of crisis! Hence the saying “ten grains to a
plate, ten plates to a crystal” meaning
In a pinch, you can also choose to lower your Wealth that all adds up.
level to immediately gain some Coins. When doing
this, you gain a number of Coins equal to the number Keeping tracks of all your plates and
granted by the new Wealth level. grains could become difficult. This
is why I came up with Coins. They
A Middle Class Character has run out of Coins. make everything easier!
They choose to become Poor, immediately
gaining 2 Coins.

A Rich Character short on Coins decides to

lower their Wealth level to Well-off. They get 10
Coins.

SPENDING COINS
When you want to buy pieces of equipment, pay for Bear in mind that your Wealth level grants you free
services, or bribe littlings, you can do so by spending access to some services, and you don’t need to spend
your Coins. In the upcoming pages, you’ll find a list of Coins for every meal and every hotel stay.
common items and services with their fair price. Coins only come into play when you’re looking
to buy equipment, when you want to gain access to
You could also have to spend Coins because of a services beyond your means, whenever they are rele-
Failure. This could happen because you were the vic- vant or useful to the story, or simply when it’s fun to
tim of theft, got swindled, or simply because you lost involve them.
your wallet.

r 154 s
 Equipment Equipment is made of undeniably useful items. Things
important and memorable enough to earn a place on
This might sound strange, but as I write this chapter I your Sheet.
am suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of nostalgia. The
items I am about to describe are possibly the only tan- Every piece of equipment offers you Help in specific
gible memory of a bygone era. In my study, right next circumstances, equipping you with what you need to
to my desk, there’s an old key that has done nothing face your adventures.
but collect dust and evoke memories for a while. In this table, you can find the most common equip-
I can’t help but smile at the thought that, at the time ment, but in upcoming pages you’ll also find interest-
of the events in this book, that key was regarded as a ing Gadgets and the most fearsome Weapons of the
recent product of technology. Household.
But let’s not get lost in these sappy stories!

EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

Name Description Price
Backpack Holds everything you need to travel. 2
Bumblebeer Glove Used to avoid irritating the delicate paws of demanding pet bumblebees. 2
Carriage A large carriage which holds up to 8 littlings. 6
Cart A practical cart or buggy which holds up to 4 littlings. 4
Clean Clothes. Washing or changing clothes. 1
Cloak Protects you from the cold and gives you an air of mystery. 1
Cooking Kit Helpful to cook in the open. 2
Dinner Out Dinner out in a tavern or restaurant for one littling. 1-5
Disguise Kit Helpful to make disguises. 3
Doctor’s Bag Helpful to treat wounds or illnesses. 4
Elegant Clothes Allow you to be Elegant. 3
Fire Starter Helpful to light a small fire. 1
Gala Clothes Allow you to be Pompous. 5
Grappling Hook and Line Helpful to climb. 2
Jewels Rings, necklaces, bracelets, carved pipes, tiaras, and so on. 1-9
Lantern Helpful to see in the dark. Hindering to going undetected in the dark. 2
Lockpicks Helpful to pick locks. 2
Musical Instrument Helpful when performing or making noise. 1-9
Pack Snail Helpful to carry heavy or bulky loads. 4
Saddle Animal A Mouse or Beetle you can mount. Helpful to run. 6
Single Room Boarding in a hotel for one littling. 1-5
Stylist’s Bag Helpful to raise your level of Decorum. 5
Telescope Helpful to look far away. 2
Tent Practical tent for 2 to 4 littlings. Easy to assemble, but not to disassemble. 2-3
Theater Ticket Valid for one littling. Numbered seats. 2
Toolbox Helpful to repair items or build Gadgets. 3

r 155 s
 Gadgets Automatic Hander 
This mechanism is secured to the wrist of the user
The study and practice of engineering has allowed us who, with one precise gesture, can make a small object
to develop, craft, and employ technologically advanced or weapon immediately dart into their hand.
Gadgets. Littlings with the needed skills and foresight This is mainly used by littlings who always want to
to dedicate their lives to this noble science are often have their portable pistol or nailtip close at hand, but
seen as eccentric inventors who constantly risk blow- there are some sly individuals who also use it to cheat
ing everything off with their experiments. when playing cards.

Gadgets are extremely pricey and hard to come by.

They can only be bought from strange, often reclusive Cobweb Bomb 
littlings. Compressed inside this small metal sphere, there’s a
The Tinker, Fiddling, and Find Resources Moves special synthetic cobweb. Push the button, toss the
allow you to build gadgets at the drop of a hat. bomb, and look as your enemies get enveloped in an
Alternatively, and only if you have a workshop with explosion of sticky cobwebs. Careful when you use this
the right tools, you can build a gadget by making an in small spaces, or you’ll get webbed too!
Extreme Action Roll in Craft + Academia. If you
fail this roll, something goes wrong and you become
Confused. Emergency Resolver 
This simple mechanism allows you to spray colorful
Some gadgets, like the spring-loaded roach or the ink toward someone’s face, creating the perfect diver-
cobweb bomb, will run out or break after use. Others, sion. It’s usually disguised as a small decorative mold
like the household compass or the parachute backpack, flower, and can be put in the breast pocket or pinned
are extremely delicate and can only be used repeatedly to the lapel of a jacket, but also used as a cuff link or as
after careful recalibration and refitting. a hat ornament.
Either way, all gadgets are single use.

Escape Helper MM 
At a first glance, the escape helper looks like a wide
metallic armband, often covered in fabric or leather,
with a thin ring on one side. By pulling this ring with
your finger or teeth, you activate a mechanism that
uncovers a series of short hooked or serrated blades, or
sometimes even a small vial of corrosive agent, which
can be used to cut through ropes and handcuffs.

Household Compass 
A spherical compass that allows you to find your
bearings in the House. This jewel of technology is
the product of joint research done by Wise Paracelsus
and Argo the Bureaucrat. The needle is bound to the
Domain Contract and, as such, always points to the
center of the House.

On the left: A household compass always

points to the center of the House.
r 156 s On the right: A pair of multi-lens glasses.
Battle Spinning Top
This metal spinning top is almost one tiny meter tall
and equipped with retractable blades or spikes. It can
be thrown at great speed thanks to a spring-loaded or
crank-operated mechanism. In all confidence, this is a
public menace.

Multi-lens Glasses 
This pair of glasses is outfitted with many free-mov- Spring-loaded Boots 
ing and superimposable lenses of various kinds. They Hidden in the platform of these boots there are two
might not be the height of fashion, but they can prove extremely elastic springs. With just a tap of the heel,
extremely useful when you have to analyze the smallest they immediately spring out, allowing the wearer of
details. this gadget to jump and bounce for great distances and
at great speed. Worth trying at least once in your life.

Parachute Backpack 
By pulling a special string on the side of this compact Spring-loaded Roach 
backpack, you can release a parachute made of fabric This small metallic insect looks exactly like your ev-
or paper. With the help of this invention, a littling can eryday roach. You just have to turn the key on its back,
jump from any height and still reach the ground – al- and the spring-loaded roach will begin pattering and
most – unscathed. Being able to control the direction crawling in random directions, drawing the attention
in which you glide and avoid crashing into Walls is far of littlings and beasts. It’s a very creative distraction!
from easy, requiring a suitable roll in Grace + Academia.

Surprise-in-the-Box 
Spring-loaded Grappling Hook  This apparently normal box can be made to look like
A short spring-loaded rifle made to shoot a grappling a hat-box or a present. Hidden inside, there’s a heavy
hook at great distance. It is connected to an automati- boxing glove on a loaded spring, which will immedi-
cally rewinding spool of thread secured to the user’s belt. ately go off as soon as the lid is opened. Surprise!

GADGETS
Name Description Price
Automatic Hander Quickly extracts a weapon. You begin combat with an Action Turn. 5
Battle Spinning Top Can be used to break through walls or make an attack with Craft + Academia. 6
Cobweb Bomb Traps someone in cobwebs or nullifies an Opponent’s Move. 7
Emergency Resolver You create a diversion, or leave combat. 4
Escape Helper MM Sets you free from ropes, handcuffs, cobwebs, or similar restraints. 6
Household Compass Points to the center of the House. Helpful to find your way. 5
Multi-lens Glasses Helpful to analyze clues and crime scenes. 4
Parachute Backpack Slows your fall and allows you to glide from great heights. 9
Spring-loaded Boots Helpful to run and jump. 5
Spring-loaded You reach a high place, or pull something down to you. 5
Grappling Hook
Spring-loaded Roach Walks around, distracting an unsuspecting target. 4
Surprise-in-the-Box Knocks out whoever opens it. 4

r 157 s
 Weapons Reach
Allows you to hit at Short Distance.
Household weapons are exact scaled replicas of some
of the Master’s Items. They have been used in all the
many battles that marked Household History. Sharpened
If you have a melee weapon, a ranged weapon, or a Helpful to cut ropes, molds, mushrooms, or other obstacles.
loaded firearm, you are always considered armed.
Additionally, a weapon might have specific Traits
that allow it to be Helpful in set circumstances. Small
Weapon Traits are: Easy to hide.

Accurate Throwing
Allows you to shoot at Long Distance with no Can be thrown at a Short Distance.
disadvantage.

Two Handed
Double Barreled (Available From chapter IIII) Requires two hands to be wielded properly. Hindering
Can shoot twice before being reloaded. in tight spaces.
See Historical Events in Section VIII “Saga”.

Wide
Dueling Grants you the benefits of Partial Cover.
Allows you to make some Duelist Moves.

Firearm
Allows you to shoot. Extremely noisy.
Must be reloaded after every shot.

Heavy
Helpful to break through items and doors.

Illegal
Might cause you trouble with the law.

Pointed
Helpful to pierce through hard surfaces or as a lever.

Ranged
Allows you to shoot.
Must be reloaded after every shot.

Pictured Here:
Two cutlery pieces and a double-bitted key. r 158 s
 MELEE WEAPONS
Name Description Price
Key Heavy Weapon. 2
Halfscissor Sharpened Weapon. 2
Cogpesh Sharpened, Throwing Weapon. 3
Traveling Nail Reach Weapon. 2
Walking Toothpick Weapon. 2
Nailtip Small, Illegal, Throwing Weapon. 1
Pintip Small, Illegal, Throwing, Pointed Weapon. 2
Brass Knuckles Small, Illegal Weapon. 1
Cutlery Piece Weapon. Varies, see description. 1-3
Greatscissor Two Handed, Sharp, Pointed Weapon. 3
Razor Two Handed, Sharp, Wide Weapon. 3
Bolt Two Handed, Heavy, Wide Weapon. 2
Double-Bitted Key Two Handed, Heavy, Sharp Weapon. 4
Cocktail Spear Two Handed, Pointed, Reach Weapon. 4
Halberd Key Two Handed, Heavy, Reach Weapon. 3

RANGED WEAPONS
Portable Pistol Small Firearm. Can only shoot at Short Distance. 2
Pistol Firearm. 3
Precision Pistol Accurate Firearm. 4
Musket Two Handed Firearm. Gain +1 to shoot. 3
Hunting Rifle Two Handed, Accurate Firearm. Gain +1 to shoot. 5
Folding Crossbow Small Ranged Weapon. Can only shoot at Short Distance. 3
Crossbow Two Handed, Ranged Weapon 4
Long Keysket Two Handed, Reach Weapon. 6
Two Handed, Accurate Firearm. Gain +1 to shoot.
Heavy Keysket Two Handed, Heavy, Sharp Weapon. 6
Two Handed Firearm. Gain +1 to shoot.

DUELING WEAPONS
Needle Thrown, Dueling Weapon. 5
Pin Pointed, Dueling Weapon. 5
Dueling Halfscissor Sharpened, Dueling Weapon. 5
Lancetta Heavy, Dueling Weapon. 5

ARMOR AND ACCESSORIES

Light Armor Once per combat you can React with Strength instead of another Skill. 3
Heavy Armor Once per combat you can React with Strength instead of another Skill. 6
Offers additional protection. See description.
Button Grants you the benefits of Partial Cover. 2
Coin Grants you and one friend the benefits of Partial Cover. 3
Bayonet Transforms a musket or rifle into a melee weapon. 1
Spool Used with needles, grants the Reach Trait. 3
Cape Once per combat you can React with Dexterity instead of another Skill. 4
Ratador’s Cloak Allows you to make Duelist Moves when fighting beasts. 6
Camouflage Cloak Helps you camouflage with the wild environments of a Room. 3

r 159 s
 Melee Weapons
Key 
A one handed key with a bit made of hard metal. It is
usually regarded as an artless weapon, good for merce-
naries and shroomcutters, but has been repeatedly seen
in the hands of undeniably noble wielders.

Halfscissor 
With no doubt the most common Household weapon.
The halfscissor is a curved sword with a typical ring-
shaped guard.
The crossed halfscissors are the symbol of battle for
excellence, also being used as part of the Hearth seal.

Did you know that: Soldiers can use two one

handed weapons to make Moves that require a
two handed weapon. You might have seen some Nailtip 
of them walk around with crossed scissors on A simple but sharp metal bodkin which can be used
their back. as a dagger. It’s the preferred weapon of bandits and
criminals. Nailtips are always illegal.

Cogpesh 
This sword, typical of the Horde, is characterized by a Pintip 
wide serrated blade shaped like a half-circle. A finely-crafted sharp dagger which is nevertheless il-
There is also a duel variant of cogpesh, used by med- legal. They come in many shapes and sizes but are, as a
jays from the Kashab Desert, and generally regarded as rule, designed to plunge in the back of an unsuspecting
a precious relic. and unlucky victim.

Walking Toothpick  Brass Knuckles 

An elegant wooden stick. Its pommel is often carved Ready to use just by slipping over your knuckles like a
into a small sculpture, in the shape of a bee, beetle, or of small metal glove. Brass Knuckles are discreet and easy
another natural subject. It is the preferred self-defense to hide weapons. Perhaps that is the reason why they
weapon of gentlittlings. Available in many shades. are extremely illegal.

Traveling Nail  Cutlery Piece

This long and straight nail helps travelers on their There are three different types of cutlery pieces: knives,
long journeys on foot, as they climb up and down the forks, and spoons. They differ in use and technique,
House. but are all more or less faithful reproductions of items
from the Master’s Cutlery. You might find Heavy,
Pointed, or Sharpened cutlery pieces for both one and
Two Handed use.

Pictured Here:
A cogpesh, a half-scissor, a key,
a pintip, a set of brass knuckles, a nailtip, a toothpick,
and a traveling nail. r 160 s
Greatscissor  Halberd Key 
The two handed version of a halfscissor. This weapon This polearm features a key bit at one of the extremities.
was source of inspiration for many tales, and is used as Long ago, it was widely used by battalions throughout
a symbol of strength and courage. Among the many the House, but nowadays it is mostly wielded by honor
brave littlings who wield greatscissors, there is also guards and by soldiers posted at famous places or events.
William “Bravespine” Hearthworth Jr., the current
Hearthkeeper.
Bolt 
A large bolt with a blocky head. Requires two hands to
Double-Bitted Key  use and is about as wieldy and elegant as a barstool, but
This heavy two handed key has two sharp blades. hits much harder.
It is the trusted companion of many littlings in the
Porcelain Infantry, and has recently returned into Did you know that: You can buy a weapon
fashion thanks to Fenella Ramsay aka “the Tuberdam at half the price! You just have to add the Illegal
Dollar”, hero of the Battle of Quillwaters. Trait and hope nobody notices.

Cocktail Spear  Razor 

A thin fork with only two tines. This is the preferred This cleaver with a wide and flat blade is perfect for lit-
weapon of soldiers in the Great Imperial Army of the tlings who want everyone to know how tough they are.
Realm and of the “blond knights”. The cocktail spear is The weapon was first modeled by smiths in Tuberdam
a symbol of protection and war, a marvel of engineer- to resemble the Master’s Razor and developed to cut
ing and craftsmanship. The most expensive weapon of down the mounts of opponents during cavalry charges.
this kind was forged out of pure numismatic silver, and Fortunately, it has never been used on a wider
belongs to none-other than Grand General Ludmillen, scale because of its exorbitant production costs and
“the Silver Star”. unwieldiness.

Pictured Here:
A razor, a greatscissor, a cocktail spear,
r 161 s a halberd key, and a bolt.
 Ranged Weapons Hunting Rifle 
A high-precision musket. The secret to its long range
hides in the rifling inside the barrel, which could be
Pistol  the beginning of a true revolution in firearms.
A classic single-shot gun, widespread throughout the Le Fusil is a famous hunting rifle, invented by the fairy
House. Like modern pistols, its shape was inspired by the engineer Armand Le Fusil. But the most renowned of
Master’s Weapon, which stands out above the Fireplace. these extremely accurate contraptions is certainly the
Alshara rifle, a jewel of military technology developed
down in the Horde. It’s as beautiful as it is lethal!
Portable Pistol 
This small “pocket” pistol doesn’t offer great firepower, Did you know that: Beginning from Chapter
but can be comfortably carried in your jacket or purse. IIII, you can buy firearms with the Double
That is, if you are the type of littling who feels com- Barreled Trait, which can shoot twice before
fortable traveling with a gun on you! reloading. They only cost twice as much as
common weapons!

Precision Pistol 
A last-generation pistol, extremely accurate. Among Crossbow 
the most noteworthy models of this weapon we have Not really cutting-edge, but always reliable. Crossbows
the Feuerlang Precision Pistol, designed by Colonel are silent and efficient weapons, perfect for littlings
Feuerlang of the Porcelain Army and outfitted with an who prefer to keep a low profile. They can also be
extremely long and often embellished barrel. loaded with non-lethal wooden balls.
Another shining example of military craftsmanship is
the Deringer V, latest creation of Veronica Deringer, a
young boggart who has recently taken over the famous Folding Crossbow 
family business from her father. A handy crossbow about as large as a pistol, outfitted
with a folding bow which allows it to be easily hidden.
Did you know that: if you shoot with two These many advantages, however, come at the expense
pistols at the same time, you gain +1 to the Roll of both range and power. It can also be loaded with
but unload both weapons. non-lethal wooden balls.

Musket 
A trusty household rifle. Among the many models, I’d
like to name the historical Chesterfield musket, devel-
oped and produced in the Hearth town with the same
name, reliably employed by many armies.

Pictured Here:
An precision pistol, a hunting rifle,
r 162 s a bayonet, and a crossbow.
 Pictured Here:
A heavy keysket
f rom the Hearth,
and a long keysket
f rom the Horde.

Heavy or Long Keysket

There is no doubt that keyskets are the most iconic A Long Keysket, on the other hand, is best suited for
weapons of the Household. They are the symbol of all use at a distance. It has a much greater range thanks to
hunters and of hunting. the extremely long barrel which is clearly the source of
For the few of you who might have lived without en- its name.
countering one, keyskets are powerful rifles inserted Hunters who favor this type of keysket prefer to stay
into battle keys. They can be either long or heavy. far away from danger. They usually search for a hidden
spot from which they can shoot their target without
There are differing schools of thought on which mod- ever being sighted by large beasts.
el of keysket might be more efficient, but neither has
managed to disprove the other. All keyskets, both heavy and long, are crafted with a
unique bit that can never be repeated. As a matter of
Did you know that: A Keysket, either long or fact, the wards of these hunting keys are forged and cut
heavy, takes up two lines among your Equipment. with extreme precision and play a fundamental role in
That’s because keyskets are both a melee weapon a hunter’s life.
and a firearm, all in one!
After catching their prey, hunters usually light a fire
A Heavy Keysket is best suited for close combat and and heat the bit of their keysket on the crackling
can deal heavy damage thanks to the heft of the large flames. When the key has turned red-hot, the hunt-
metal bit. ers press it on the skin or husk of the prey, marking
Hunters who favor this type of keysket love to face it as their quarry. This is how they stop brigands and
dangers head-first. They are usually more skilled in poachers from stealing their work to re-sell at markets.
combat than they are in the subtle art of stakeout.

r 163 s
 Dueling Weapons Lancetta 
Flat and wide dueling sword suited for both cutting
and thrusting. The dueling lancetta was first used as a
Needle  weapon in the Horde, where the Fencing Academy of
Extremely light dueling sword best suited for thrusting. the Mirandola Gulf stands to this day. The lancetta (lit.
It is chiefly used in the Free Dominions. The Mistress’ Clock hand) is the heaviest of all dueling swords, but in
Needle, the inspiration for this peculiar sword, is still the hands of a duelist looks as light as a rat’s whisker.
kept at the Rosevault Fencing Academia and has been Littlings who favor this weapon have an explo-
recently declared a national treasure. sive and versatile style, suitable both for offense and
Littlings who favor the dueling needle practice a defense.
clean and swift style, made of sudden and lethal strikes.
Did you know that: Thanks to the
Swordfighter Trait, Duelists begin the game
Pin  with a dueling weapon they inherited. They
Dueling sword characterized by a spherical guard. It can immediately note it on their Sheet without
is chiefly used in the Realm. The pin is considered the spending a single Coin!
elegant weapon for excellence, skillfully wielded by the
likes of the Duke of Faeriyev, host of the most import-
ant yearly fencing tournament in the House. Dueling Halfscissor 
Littlings who favor the dueling pin are known to Dueling saber best suited for cutting and for mounted
prefer form to substance, but to never lack either. combat. It is chiefly used in the lands of the Hearth, where
dueling halfscissors are often longer to better fit the taller
stature of locals, while also granting a larger reach.
Littlings who favor this weapon embrace a modern
style, partially sacrificing form to prefer a practical
approach.

Pictured Here:
A dueling halfscissor,
a lancetta, a needle,
and a pin. Accessories
Button 
A round shield made of painted or rough wood. A relic
of the past.

Coin 
A heavy shield made in the shape one of the
Master’s Coins. Nowadays it is mainly used by
honor guards or during parades.
In some regions of the Basement you can
also find shields that offer the same ben-
efits but are shaped like toothed cogs.

r 164 s
Cape  Heavy Armor 
Small cloak worn over one shoulder. It is often paired A heavy and bulky set of armor, complete with
with a medium weapon to act as a defense instrument. guards for the arms and a helm with visor or plume.
A very dated accessory. Commonly used in battle or during military parades.
It’s impossible to not get noticed when wearing this!
Did you know that: Some Duelists don’t use A set of heavy armor poses a Hindrance when run-
the cape, they prefer a dagger or short lancetta. ning, climbing, swimming, sneaking, or trying to go
They work just the same! unnoticed.
When you fill the Crucial Box during a fight
or because of a physical danger, you do not suffer a
Ratador’s Cloak  Condition.
The rateta is a red or purple cape commonly used by When you become Overstressed, your armor breaks
ratadores from Umbral for their corridas against rats. and you remove all Stress after the Crucial Box.
Repairing a set of heavy armor costs 4 Coins.

Spool 
A spool of thread worn at the hip or on the back and Camouflage Cloak 
connected to the hilt of a dueling needle. It is the em- A camouflage cloak is crafted using the Upholstery
blem of the tailoring style from Rosevault. from a Room of the House and helps you when hiding
Cannot be used at the same time as a cape. inside that Room.
The cloaks from the Living Room have a design and
texture similar to the Carpet and its molds, while those
Bayonet  from the Upper Floor are made out of mushroom and
A pintip made to be fixed on the barrel of a musket or red wallpaper. Camouflage cloaks from the Basement
rifle. Perfect for infantry charges. are made in warm tones that resemble the rusty walls,
while cloaks from the Dining Hall are crafted with the
characteristic green wallpaper of the Realm.
Light Armor 
A leather jacket which can be either stuffed or re-
inforced with chitin plates. Alternatively, a shiny or
enameled cuirass like the ones used by the armies of
the Realm and Upper Floor.

Pictured Here:
Two reinforced jackets, a cuirass f rom the
r 165 s Realm, and heavy armor from the Horde.
r 166 s
 V II
Household History
o f wa r a n d p e ac e

r 167 s
 the Master’s of the room by the Wise Sprite, who said he would

Disappearance never be intimidated by the words of such “Boggarts”,

a Sprigaelic word that meant scary or barbaric people.
When Big Ben Hearthworth was informed of what
“He’s gone” had come to pass, he took up the Master’s Key with
heavy heart and called on the biggest, strongest people
These words mark the beginning of our History. They of his Folk. They accepted the name of Boggarts and,
were uttered by Benjamin Hearthworth, also known as since words had not moved the Sprites, decided to take
Big Ben, when he realized the House was empty and action.
there was no sign of the Master and his Family.
To those who asked him “what do we do now?” he For years, Sprites and Boggarts fought each other, one
always answered “we wait”. But years went by and the side bent on conquering the House, the other fighting
Master never returned. to protect it. In those years we had the Battle of Yule,
Brownies had been living in the Master’s shadow still celebrated every year on the 24th of December,
for a long time, serving him faithfully, fighting spiders which ended with a glimmer of hope, a truce that sadly
and insects, and watching over the House. Their un- was not destined to last.
obtrusive but friendly presence hadn’t gone unnoticed, Twenty years after the Master’s Disappearance,
and in exchange, they had received all sorts of honors Boggarts had crushed the Sprite army, pushing them
and favors. Now and then, on special days, the Master back into the Master’s Bedroom. Big Ben led his lit-
even left them cookies and milk or other gifts. Life tlings on the Great Stairs to put an end to the siege
for the Brownie Folk was good, and the Folk was also with as little bloodshed as possible, giving Wise
good, and they loved the Master and his Family. The Paracelsus three days to discuss the terms of surrender.
Master had a Wife and Daughter, but we won’t talk
about them.
Left to their means, Brownies vowed to preserve the
House just as the Master had left it and wait for his
return. They elected Big Ben as their leader, as he had
always been the most beloved servant of the Master
the Fae Exodus
and the best among them. That same year, the Dendronaos Tree was struck by
lightning and fell against the Great Window of the
In that time, Sprites already lived on the Upper Floor, Dining Hall. In that event, the Fae Folk, modern
but they were not servants of the Master. They shared Faeiries, lost their ancestral home, and turned to their
the yearnings and cravings of the Household Forces Tsar Oberon Eudoxia to lead them to safety. In the
but were bound to no one. Born Out of the Spark, the fall of the Tree, the Tsar had also lost his wife, Titania
Draft, and the Drain, they had united under the same Lightheart, but he still had his only daughter, little
flag following Wise Paracelsus. When they caught Arcadia.
wind that the Master was gone, they decided it was Finding the House empty, he led his good people
time for the Little Folk to claim the House as their through the breach in the Window in a wearying ex-
own. And claim it they did. odus that claimed many lives. Coming up to the sill,
he lifted his eyes to see the Highlight Chandelier and,
Before ten years had gone by, the Sprites had already since his seal was a crystal star, he thought it a sign. So
built their capital under the Master’s Bed, at the heart he left Puck to hold the line at the Window and left
of his quarters. Nothing had come of the many mes- with his best littlings to conquer the Dining Hall.
sengers Big Ben kept sending to Paracelsus, asking of
him to cease with his expansion politics. Oral tradition Few Boggarts had remained to protect the Ground
maintains that the last of the envoys was thrown out Floor, and they were vanquished easily by the Fae

r 168 s
knights. There were only a few hours left before the
Sprite surrender when Big Ben was informed of what
Oberon’s Empire
happened. The First among Boggarts immediately Oberon was thus crowned Emperor of the Household,
requested an audience with the Wise Paracelsus, in gaining the title of Trismegistus, thrice greatest, as he
which he swore that he would give the Dust Sprite ruled over Faeries, Sprites, and Boggarts.
anything in exchange for his support against the Fae Under his rule, Faeries colonized the entirety of the
army, because he was a good littling and he could not Dining Hall, founding what is today known as the
stand for his people to fall at the hand of the invader. Realm, and they began to slowly reclaim the Kitchen
Paracelsus agreed to join forces against this common that had been invaded by insects. The best artisans and
enemy but he said, “I shall help, but ask for nothing architects spent years building the marvelous palace of
in return”. Highlight and the city of Tournoire atop Blackshine.

On the Upper Floor, Sprites expanded their cities

and conquered the Bathroom, establishing the Free

The Great Dominions.

Wise Paracelsus could finally devote his time to

Betrayal research. And during those years, his experiments on

snails laid the foundation for the selective breeding
of all types of household animals so they could serve
The Fae army had gathered on the lowest Steps of the any and all purpose littlings have for them. During
Great Stairs as the Boggarts stood on the frontline, a period of famine, the Wise was led to the Master’s
ready to descend onto them. There was a brutal charge, Pantry, where he gathered all useful and nourishing
and both sides suffered steep losses, then came the substances, and used them to create the many different
time when Sprites should have come in with a second types of mushrooms and molds that today populate the
wave to support Boggarts. House and feed us all.
Alas, what should have been known as the battle
of the Great Stairs turned into a massacre when the If we could forget the way Oberon rose to power and
littlings from the Upper Floor attacked the Boggarts gained his title, we could almost say that the next thir-
from behind, crushing them between two fronts. ty years were beautiful and peaceful for all littlings of
the Household. But the Tsar was an inflexible Fairy
For Wise Paracelsus had signed a secret agreement with who would allow no contradiction or challenge to his
Tsar Oberon, promising his help against the Boggarts authority, his word was law. Boggarts knew this well, as
in exchange for the Upper Floor. And so, most adult the few who had been allowed to remain in the House
Boggarts lost their lives in what is today known as the as servants to the Faeries were treated as little more
Great Betrayal, Big Ben Hearthworth also died that than animals. Still their fate was better than what be-
day, and with him, the last hope to preserve the House fell those who had chosen or were forced into exile,
for the Master’s return was gone. where they had to face the elements.

The few surviving Boggarts, mainly women, elders, Meanwhile, good William Hearthworth reached
and children, were spared but forced into everlasting adulthood, and his Folk had already built a town amid
exile in the Outhold, to crawl in the mud with the the brambles under his leadership. At least there,
insects, away from the Hearth’s warmth. Their only Boggarts could be safe from the onslaughts of larger
consolation in this sad journey was their young, brave beasts. His steadfast character earned him the moniker
leader: William, the son of Big Ben, who would never “Walnut”, the name we still remember him by.
return to the Household after that day.

r 169 s
r 170 s Pictured Here:
Faeries and Sluagh fighting in the
battle of the Ides of November.
 the Wild Hunt The
Fifty years after the Master’s Disappearance, on the day
of Samhain, the Pipes in the Basement were swarmed
Restoration Pact
by a multitude of littlings coming from a place so far, Years went by and a Sluagh warlord began to reunite
that to this day we only know it as Farbeyond. The all tribes under his banner. Kubalai was a dangerously
Sluagh were unlike any other creatures to have ever cunning littling, some sources even maintain that he
entered the Household, they made quick work of tak- could control spiders. No littling could hope to stand
ing over the Basement and were ready to invade the up to him, and all those who dared oppose him were
other Floors. fed to Longleg, his largest servant. When all the war-
When Oberon’s sentries noticed the newcomers, lords were united, Kubalai became the Khan of the
they hastily flew back to Highlight to inform the Tsar, Horde of the Great Blade, and the Sluagh attacks at
describing a huge army of terrifying monsters. General the frontiers with the Faeries grew even more violent,
Ludmillen Vonnhoimar-Eudoxia recommended a cau- as the Khan demanded an unconditional surrender.
tious approach, but the Emperor was too arrogant and
overconfident to listen. He ordered Puck to assemble So Emperor Oberon sent for Wise Paracelsus, asking
his best littlings and the Golden Backs and leave with him to abide by their old agreements and deploy the
the forces right away to upend the enemy. Sprite army to defend the Household. But Paracelsus
had no interest in going to war as he knew that the
The Great Imperial Army and the Sluagh forces met Upper Floor could withstand long sieges much better
at Stairside, where it quickly became clear to Puck that than the Dining Hall. He chose to ignore Oberon’s
they had committed a grave mistake. For every Fairy call and left him alone to face an enemy far too strong
on the battlefield there were ten or twenty invaders, for anyone.
who fought with a brutality never seen before, shrug-
ging off deadly wounds as if they were but a scratch. Running out of options, the Emperor sent messen-
With no chance to win, Faeries attempted to retreat gers to Bramble Town asking for the Boggarts’ help.
by taking flight. But they were once again punished After the death of Walnut, the Folk followed his son
for their ignorance of the enemy, for the littlings from Benjamin William Hearthworth, a young littling who
Farbeyond knew the secret of black powder, and wield- had never seen the inside of the House and was eager
ed firearms they could use to knock their opponents to enter; he signed a peace treaty between Boggarts
out of the sky. and Faeries, agreeing to lend their services in battle.
In exchange Faeries had to promise they’d bring the
The battle on the ides of November is to this day House back to its original state when the Master
known as the Wild Hunt, as the Sluagh army eclipsed returned.
their opponents in numbers, strength, and resources This treaty went down in history as the Restoration
to the point that the Faeries did not stand a fighting Pact, and some say that Oberon signed it while laugh-
chance, they were hunted down and killed like fleeing ing because that was how much he believed in the
prey. Master’s return.
That battle marked the end of Oberon Trismegistus’
dominance, and the beginning of more than twen- When the Boggart army joined the fray the battle
ty years of raids and incursion in the Realm and changed pace completely, turning into a full-scale war
Freedomes. that would last almost twenty years.
The fact that the Sluagh were divided into twen-
ty-seven constantly in-fighting tribes is probably the
only reason the House wasn’t completely overthrown
and conquered.

r 171 s
 the First young Robin Guillaume Fleurblanche; and little

Household War Arcadia Lightheart-Eudoxia.

Everyone was certain the crown would go to the val-
iant Ludmillen, and it did. But the noble Fairy chose to
The most extensive and important conflict in house- turn down the title, since as an Emperor he would have
hold history saw the combined armies of Faeries and been forbidden to continue fighting on the frontline.
Boggarts facing off against the invading Sluagh while Nonplussed by this unprecedented refusal, the elders
Sprites barricaded their frontier on the Upper Floor tuned to the people and asked them to elect their new
in a hopeless attempt not to be dragged into the fray. monarch among the candidates.

The population of the Household was decimated by In a turn of event that surprised everyone, especially
the long extenuating war, and each battle only led to the contenders, the people chose Arcadia, Oberon’s
another battle, and another, and one more. It felt as if only daughter, to become Tsarina of the Realm and
the War would never end. Empress of the Household.
In the most awful clash, Boggarts and Sluagh fought
in the corner between the Long and Short Hallway for In the months after Arcadia Oberonovna rose to power,
days on end. And in the end, while Boggarts managed the Great Imperial Army cracked down on the Sluagh,
to win the battle, the few survivors were so completely pushing the front down and into the Basement, driven
exhausted by the fight that they couldn’t walk away. by their will to avenge the death of their so-called dear
We remember that clash as the Battle of Dead Angle, departed emperor.
and to this day, you may hear someone call a situation
“a Dead Angle” when they want to say that nobody
would get anything good out of it.

That tragic day also marked the end of William

Benjamin Hearthworth, who would never see the
Boggart nation rebuilt and would never return to his
home in Bramble Town, and for this reason goes down
in History as William Lackland.
He was succeeded by his son William Hearthworth
Jr., a strong and goodhearted Boggart who fought on
the frontline of every battle. Despite being young and
inexperienced, good William proved to be the worthy
descendant of Big Ben. His valor in battle and the cape
of porcupine quills he wore gained him the moniker of
Bravespine.

In the year 83 M.G. at the height of the conflict,

when the lives lost were already beyond counting,
Oberon Trismegistus was assassinated in his palace
in Highlight, and people said he departed too soon.
There were only five Faeries of imperial blood who
could succeed him on the throne: Grand General
Pictured Here:
Ludmillen, son of the Emperor’s sister; the son of The imperial crown of Tsarina
Puck, Alexei Stakan-Eudoxia; Viktor Küchenschrank; Arcadia Oberonovna.

r 172 s
Pictured Here:
Bravespine and Arcadia
Oberonovna according to the
imagination of
r 173 s

J.D. Bilibinski.
 the Brothers, they said
Of brothers unlike us
“Brothers!” Edict The winged soldiers brave
Children of the Stars
One year after the coronation, in an attempt to com-
municate her wish for peace and willingness to put Brothers, they swore
an end to the Great War, the Empress issued an edict Blood hot and cold alike
that sadly went on to mark the beginning of one of the Forget they the war
darkest periods in Household history. The “Brothers!” The bloodshed, the fight
Imperial Edict declared that, by order of Arcadia
Oberonovna, all littlings were to be considered equals
and brothers, that all differences were to be put aside
Brothers! They pleaded
so that a new and brighter future could be built for all.
Their peace we defend
After the edict, the Realm opened its doors to all Remember we’re starred
Sluagh and Sprites who wanted to flee the conflict to We’ll fight to the end
live in peace. Some of them joined the ranks of the
Great Imperial Army and set out to the frontlines, My will shall not crack
ready to fight their compatriots in the name of peace. As I join the fray
Only three years later, one third of the population of I wear gold on my back
Mount Guignol and Tournoire consisted of littlings
All my Brothers are Fae.
of non-Fae descent, with some of them even working
as soldiers and gendarmes. The district was supervised
by a war hero recently returned from the Basement
The Song of Young Ivoire
campaign, a Fairy by the name of Jules des Larmes. Tristarred Anthem
Colonel des Larmes had taken to heart the words of When Colonel des Larmes saw what had happened,
Arcadia so much so, that he had secretly adopted a he decided to intervene immediately, and his son and
child: young Tristan was actually a Sluagh, saved from the other littlings who were as just as he was promptly
the battlefield, but his father did his best to keep the followed him. With heavy cannons, they shot down
true identity of the child a secret, as he feared the reac- the Keys of the Piano, creating the stairway that to
tion of his more violent subordinates. this day still leads to Mount Guignol. There was a
bloody battle, and many brave warriors lost their lives
One day, after Colonel des Larmes and his son had that day, the good colonel among them. They say that
left with a handful of trusted littlings, a group of hy- after taking up his father’s pin, young Tristan led the
per-nationalist soldiers took over the Piano. littlings up to Tournoire, vanquishing the Tristarred
The tabs on the uniform of the Great Imperial and freeing Duke Fleurblanche, who had posed no
Army are embroidered with five stars that represent resistance to the siege.
the members of the imperial family. These terrorists
cut out two stars to signify that they repudiated the All rebels, alive and dead, had their wings torn by order
Tsarina and General Ludmillen, and thus went down of Tristan des Larmes, and they were hung outside of
in history as the Tristarred. Tournoire as easy prey for the hornets. Each of them
Many sluagh and sprites living in the Piano were wore a sign at the neck with the words “Bienvenue
tragically murdered, paper wings were stuck to their frères” (Welcome brothers). After these events, Tristan
backs, and their corpses were hung by the Ivory Keys des Larmes was appointed as Marquis and he pro-
with a sign stating “Ce n’est pas mon frère” (This is not claimed himself the Duke’s Protector, to ensure that
my brother). such terrible things would never happen again.

r 174 s
 the Battle of the White Dragon in the Battle of Quillwaters, but

Quillwaters even together the littlings were no match for the size
and strength of the beast.

To further complicate the unceasing clashes of the When their ships had harpooned the Dragon, it began
First Household War, the House was invaded by beating its wings, taking off with them to the depths
huge creatures from the Outhold of the garden like of the Fountain. It appeared the battle was lost, but
birds and squirrels. A handful of soldiers of the Great then Capitano Rodomonte intervened. The up-to-
Imperial Army were sent on reconnaissance to un- then unknown Sluagh seemingly appeared out of thin
derstand the reasons behind this sudden invasion and air, brandishing a spear made with one long leg of
returned with news so incredible, people could hardly Longleg the spider. In one strike he pierced the eye of
believe it. The good soldiers maintained that a White the White Dragon and drove him from the Outhold,
Dragon not unlike the one portrayed on the ancient never to be seen again.
parchment from the Living Room had taken up resi-
dence in the Fountain, driving away all other predators Making the most of the truce, Arcadia Oberonovna
that infringed on his territory. offered to step down from her throne and establish
a High Council that could equally represent the four
This mythical creature went on to accidentally shape nations and their Folk.
the fate of a War that had lasted twenty years, as it In exchange, and to quell the thirst for vengeance of
was a common enemy that convinced all Folk to sign her people, she asked that the head of the littling who
a temporary armistice. And so, the combined forces of killed her father, Oberon Trismegistus, to be brought
Faeries, Boggarts, Sprites, and Sluagh went out to face to her.

Pictured Here:
The ancient parchment foretelling
r 175 s the coming of the White Dragon.
Pictured Here:
Rodomonte steering the Last Ship,
and dealing the final blow against
the White Dragon.

r 176 s
r 177 s
 THE BATTLE OF SAVIORS

If you could take the names of the Heroes of Quillwaters and line them one after
the other, you would build a chain long enough to start in Highlight and reach
down to Al Sehir. If you could do the same for the fallen, you’d certainly reach
beyond Farbeyond.
But if you were to look for the name of the one who took up arms and single-
handedly cast out the Dragon, you’d marvel at the discovery that it could fit on the
palm of your hand.

Everyone remembers the Ship that we now call the Last, crashing through waves
and setting the course to the Pallid Beast. Straight, like a ray of sunshine cutting
through the night from the window. And standing victorious on the prow, a single
littling. Black and gloomy and alone.

Where was Kubalai, Khan of the Horde? Where were the spiders at his command
as the Devil itself darkened the sun with its midday wings? Certainly on the Edge,
on the barren dry stone that lay outside the storm. He could not see the distant
eyes of the terrible Monster, nor the blood of the sluagh. Only the thin tall masts
and their sails, as they grew low on the horizon. He had lost many loyal subjects
because of the armies standing beside him, but he would not lose his crown.
Where was Kubalai, Khan of the Horde? He was hiding. He saved himself, but
did not win the battle.

Where was Ludmillen, Silver Star? Where was the fire-winged spear of the Fae
as the Dragon plunged his rapacious beak in the imperial battleships? Certainly
kneeling, bent over in his solemn vow. The raging visage of the Dragon was reflect-
ed in his shining armor indeed, but it was on his back. Louder than his soldiers’
screams he heard the voice of Oberon – thrice greatest – as he gave the cowardly
order. The knight’s mistakes had lost the sovereign his wife, but they would not
lose him his daughter.
Where was Ludmillen, Silver Star? He was running. He saved the Empress
Arcadia, but did not win the battle.

r 178 s
Where was Fenella Ramsey, Tuberdam Dollar? Where lay her porcelain key as the
candid Feathers pierced through the masts of the free galleons? Certainly among
the good littlings of the harbor who would call her hero of the White Waters. A
child in her arms, a mother’s hand in hers. As the sky rained from the sky, the
undine led innocents to safety. The war had taken her parents one after the other,
but these littlings would not share her fate.
Where was Fenella Ramsey, Tuberdam Dollar? She was protecting. She saved
those families, but did not win the battle.

Where was William Hearthworth, valiant Bravespine? Where was the blood of
the blood of Big Ben as the serpentine neck of the Horror swallowed the servants
dear to the Hearth? Certainly juggernaut and mighty, one hand clamped on the
Edge and the other on the figurehead. With his own arms, stretched and almost
torn, he stayed an entire ship and became a littling bridge. For each boggart who
had died on the Great Stair there was one who escaped, running to dry land before
the ship could sink to its watery grave. Because of the Betrayal he had lost a folk,
but he would not lose this one.
Where was William Hearthworth, valiant Bravespine? He was enduring. He
saved those soldiers, but did not win the battle.

A single ship remained. One Last Ship with a flag that was black and gloomy and
alone.
Its course straight, like a ray of sunshine from the window cutting through the
night. With each wave it lost one mast, one sail, one littling. With each feather it
cried wooden sparks.
“Forward” shouted the Capitano. “Forward!”. And for every question, he had the
same answer. For every prayer, he had the same word. For every pain, he had the
same cure. “Forward!” He said. And forward he went.
Nobody wonders where was Rodomonte, the Capitano, because everybody saw.
The last of a crew that was killed and slaughtered. The last on the battlefield. The
last to deal the last blow of the last battle of the last war.
Where was Rodomonte, the Capitano? He was going forward.
And all who followed him died that day.

r 179 s
 The Gift The Sluagh maintained that the Horde’s Khan was
indeed Oberon’s murderer and none dared speak open-
One year after the Battle of Quillwaters, Capitano ly against him. Nevertheless, many doubted the words
Rodomonte traveled to Highlight with the most ex- of the Capitano, and some even secretly accused him of
pensive, most important present to ever be given in the being the Emperor’s assassin in the first place.
Household: Kubalai Khan’s head.
Still, with no proof on either side and a glimmer of
hope for the end of a war that had brought the entire
Household to its knees, Arcadia Oberonovna accepted
the gift and abdicated as she had promised.

The moment when Rodomonte handed off Kubalai

Khan’s head has been immortalized time and time
again in many works of art, not least the image that
to this day is depicted on the 20-crystal banknotes,
however only those who were in the room know what
really happened.

What History tells us is that, after killing Kubalai,

Capitano Rodomonte was nominated by acclamation
as the new Khan of the Horde and Lord of the Great
Blade.

the
High Council
Arcadia Oberonovna’s last act as Empress was giving
the lands of the Living Room to loyal Bravespine as
a gift. There, the long oppressed Boggarts, went on
to establish the Hearth, which would become their
homeland after years in exile.
After righting her father’s wrongs, the Tsarina re-
nounced the imperial crown and declared that a High
Council be formed in her stead to represent all Folk of
the Household.

It was established that Bravespine would represent the

Hearth as Grand General of his army and descendant
of Big Ben Hearthworth, while Wise Paracelsus would
become the Spokesperson of the Free Dominions he
had founded. Obviously the two littlings who made
it possible for peace to be reached couldn’t be left out,

r 180 s
and Capitano Rodomonte represented the Horde of the High Council was conveniently located in her
while Tsarina Arcadia stood for the Realm. palace in Highlight, not far from her usual throne.
The War had ravaged most of the lands the four
heroes were now tasked to rule over. To leave nothing to chance, the Tsarina was further
As such, a long council was held, and in the end the appointed as Ruling Empress of the Household, as she
famous Astraviya Treaty was signed, formalizing all was the most honorable member of the High Council,
laws that to this day are in force in the House as well so to speak, and there was a new coronation ceremo-
as the terms of the armistice. ny during which Wise Paracelsus, Bravespine, and
Rodomonte bore witness as Arcadia was once again
On top of charging the Realm military with the task of honored with the same crown she had used as Empress.
patrolling all shared lands and frontiers of the House, In the end, there was no doubt as to which side had
which was granted the title of “Great Imperial Army”, emerged victorious from the First Household War.
the Treaty also appointed General Ludmillen (and
thus the Realm) as leader of the combined forces of all
nations of the Household, should the need arise.
On the left:
Each member of the council was then pressed to
Capitano Rodomonte gifting the head
return to their own nation and, in an attempt to keep of Kubalai Khan to Arcadia Oberonovna.
the red tape to a minimum, the members also granted Pictured below, f rom left to right:
Bravespine, Wise Paracelsus, Capitano
Arcadia the right to take “wise decision” in their ab-
Rodomonte, and Arcadia Oberonovna.
sence. This would be no burden to her, since the seat The High Council.

r 181 s
Many years had pased since the First Household War – which back then was
also the only one – and finally the Household could tentatively live a troubled
peace. A peace made possible by the treaties signed among four factions, now
all equally represented in the High Council.

War had managed to curb the excessive power of Oberon, the “Emperor of
the Household” and Tsar of Faeries, who forced his decrees on all Folk from
his crystal throne in Astraviya. And the peace had worked, because now
Arcadia, daughter of Oberon, the “Ruling Empress of the Household” and
Tsarina of Faeries, led the High Council from her crystal throne in Astraviya,
putting forth decrees that would affect all Folk... and everyone was much
happier for it.

r 182 s
 V III
Saga
chapters, paragraphs, historical events, and advancement

r 183 s
 the Every Paragraph is a single adventure that takes place

Fragile Peace during a larger Chapter and might be composed of one

or more gaming Sessions.
As soon as you finish telling a Paragraph, I recom-
Your adventures will be set in a historical period sadly mend giving it a captivating title for the ages.
destined to be remembered as the Fragile Peace. These
five twisting years, begin with the institution of a so- Here is an example of how the Chapter of a Saga
called High Council of the four Folks, and end when might play out:
the shadow of a new war appears.
So imagine that you too are living in these troubled Session: Jacob and Lazarus get in trouble
times, when frontiers finally open. When Folks and but the fateful intervention of a sluagh named
nations that up to this point had only met on the bat- Sarada saves them. Unfortunately, the three
tlefield can finally get to know each other as friends, all become the target of a terrible criminal gang and
equal citizens of this great House. have to cooperate to survive.
It was in these years, so rife with old disagreements,
great revolutions, and diplomatic incidents, that Session: Sarada is a skilled hunter, she leads
Household History was made. And these years are Jacob and Lazarus away from the city and
also the backdrop for all the adventures you and your toward the Inbetweens. The journey is long and
friends are going to tell. dangerous, but in the end, the three manage to
emerge on the other side of the Wall. There, they
part ways and Sarada goes back to her work.

Saga Paragraph I: These two Sessions make up a

short self-contained adventure. Together, they
are Paragraph I, which we can call “Through the
The purpose of this game goes beyond simply having Wall”.
fun together and living great adventures with fellow
historians. The main reason we play is so we can rec- Session: Some time later, Lazarus and Jacob
reate the story of important Characters whose names found work as waiters in Astraviya. Out of the
haven’t made it into history books. blue, Sarada returns to ask for their help to settle
a debt. Together again, the group must infiltrate
All the experiences you retell and recreate with your Highlight to steal a well-guarded item.
friends, will come together to outline the great Saga of
your Characters. A collective story spanning over the Paragraph II: This adventure is brought to a
five years of the Fragile Peace. close in a single, longer Session, and it becomes
Paragraph II “Big Shot in Highlight”.

Chapter: Together, Paragraph I and II make

STRUCTURE OF THE SAGA for an exciting Chapter.
A Saga is made up of 5 Chapters, each in turn divided
into smaller Paragraphs. After your group has played through all Paragraphs in
a Chapter, it is time to Advance to the next Chapter.
Every Chapter of a Saga is roughly equivalent to 1 Once you have played through all 5 Chapters in this
year in the Characters’ lives, opening up with a key Volume, you can finally play the Epilogue.
Historical Event.

Pictured Here:
The High Council as depicted on the sugar-
r 184 s glass panes of Faeriyev, in the Realm.
r 185 s
 Chapters son. Feel free to build your own personal Saga, adding
important pieces to the puzzle of Household History
Each Chapter in this Saga is roughly equivalent to and only using these events as jumping off points for
1 year of the Fragile Peace and includes one or more your story.
events known as Paragraphs. For example, Chapter III opens with the Breakout at
Deepdown, a mass breakout that put hundreds of al-
Ӵ Chapter I: 1 Paragraph leged and actual criminals back on the streets. Perhaps
Ӵ Chapter II: 2 Paragraphs your Characters were inside Deepdown and took
Ӵ Chapter III: 2 Paragraphs part in the breakout, they might have even been the
Ӵ Chapter IIII: 3 Paragraphs minds behind it. Perhaps they met some of the escaped
Ӵ Chapter V: 3 Paragraphs convicts.
Ӵ Epilogue: 1 Paragraph Or maybe they just read about it on newspapers and
went on with their lives. It’s up to you to decide!
Chapters are an extremely useful tool, they help you
give a rhythm to the story, manage Character growth, In the upcoming pages, I’ll give you a detailed descrip-
and place time skips. Additionally, each Chapter also tion of the Historical Events that set off each Chapter
offers meaningful prompts you can use as a basis for of the Saga.
your story, as well as a chance to change your role in
the story.

CHANGING ROLES
The beginning of a new Chapter is a great moment to
HOW CHARACTERS GROW add new Characters to your Saga.
There is always some time off in-between Chapters. When this happens, a Player might choose to say
This gives the Characters time to solidify their growth goodbye for a while to their Character and take the
and transform their lived Experiences into Memories role of a new one. Or maybe you could add to your
that will last a lifetime. Additionally, whenever ad- group new Players with their Characters.
vancing to the next Chapter, you gain new Skill Points Bear in mind that an entire Saga lasts 5 years, and it’s
as well as new Traits or Moves. unlikely for a group of littlings to always stick together
We’ll go into depth about this subject in a few pages, for such a long time. Who knows what new Characters
when we reach the chapter dedicated to Advancement. you’ll meet along the way.

In-between Chapters you can also change the Narrator.

Maybe because your Narrator wants to delve deep-
A CATALYST FOR THE STORY er into a Character they introduced as a secondary
Each Chapter begins with an unprecedented Historical character, and feels like becoming a Player. Or maybe
Event that will change the Household forever. because one of the Players wants to try their hand at
For example, Chapter I begins with a turning point narrating and has an interesting story to tell.
in our history: the Frontiers Opening, the moment
when all nations finally open their borders and littlings When the Narrator passes their metaphorical hat,
can begin to travel from Room to Room without great they are also tasked with bringing the Player taking
obstacles. A true revolution! their place up to speed, passing on all information they
deem important. However, as soon as the new Narrator
Obviously, not all Historical Events will be directly picks up the game, they immediately gain full power
tied to the story of your Characters, and your group is over the story, and should not feel pressured to keep
not required to play through every single event in per- with what has been told in previous Sessions.

r 186 s
 CHANGING PERSPECTIVE
Two littlings could look at the same events and see
completely different stories. Years and
Try to ask two sworn enemies to tell you about their
lives and then you’ll see just how different their recol-
lections are. And each perspective is rooted in truth.
Chapters
You and your friends are historians, tasked with re- The totality of the events from this
telling a story through the eyes of your Characters... Volume take place between September
But you could do much more than that! of the VI year and October of the X
year H.C. (after the institution of the
At the end of a Chapter, you can choose to go on to High Council).
the next Chapter, and then the next still, and so on un-
til the Epilogue. You can go straight ahead with your According to the traditional calen-
story, following one or more Characters through the dar, this arc of time coincides with
Fragile Peace. the years 97-101 M.G. (with the
But you could also change your point of view, and Master gone).
try to explore a new side to the story you just lived
through. Chapter I coincides with VI H.C.,
and Chapters II, III, IIII; and V co-
Z incide with years VII, VIII, IX, and X
H.C., respectively.
There are three sides to every story.
Yours, theirs, and the truth. You may notice that I use the let-
tering “IIII” as a “4” using the
Wise Paracelsus numeration seen on the Clock in
Z Clockminster. Please indulge the
whim of an old Boggart and allow me
A good way to change perspective is to go back and this sentimentalism.
retrace a Chapter you already played through.
For example, during Chapter II, Jacob and his friends
meet Julian, a young artist who is trying to move up in
the scene in Astraviya. Julian’s Player joined in during
Chapter II, but what was Julian doing during the pre-
vious Chapter? This is a great prompt, that could lead
you back to play through Chapter I again, with new
Characters.
Another possible way to change perspective is to fol-
Also, at the end of Chapter II Jacob and Sarada part low a different story that goes beyond your Characters.
ways. In Chapter III, Sarada will not be with the group, For example, at the end of Chapter II, Jacob and
and the Players will follow the adventures of Jacob, the others deliver a precious document stolen from
Lazarus, and Julian. At the end of the Chapter, Players Highlight to the criminal who “hired” them. The
decide they don’t want to proceed to the next Chapter, Players choose to temporarily set aside the adventures
but rather play through Chapter III again, exploring of Jacob and his group. For the next Chapter, they’ll
the story of Sarada and of the new Characters she met play as the criminal and his gang, trying to learn the
along the way. reason behind the theft of that mysterious document.

r 187 s
 Epilogue Paragraphs
The Epilogue is a special final Chapter that brings Paragraphs are short, self-contained adventures
your Characters’ adventure to a close and opens the grouped together in a Chapter, and can take one or
door to new adventures that you will hopefully find in more Sessions to play through.
the next Volume.
Dividing Chapters into Paragraphs helps the Narrator
Before playing the Epilogue of your story, I highly rec- to set the rhythm of the story and to neatly organize
ommend that you explore all the possible threads you the various plot lines that weave through a Saga.
might have left unresolved in your Saga. The end of
Chapter V is the perfect moment to change perspec- When moving from one Paragraph to the next you also
tive, go back, and relive crucial moments through the have a chance for a small time skip, which will move
eyes of new Characters. your story some weeks or maybe even some months
Ideally, your group should have lived through every forward.
Chapter of every Character in your Saga before pro- When this happens, the Narrator can begin a
ceeding to the Epilogue. This might take some time, but Paragraph with a short description of what happened
it will ensure you have a complete version of your Saga. after the end of the previous adventure, also allowing
the Players to describe their Character’s actions in that
When you feel ready, it will be time for your Characters’ span of time.
last adventure and you’ll have a chance to close this
first Saga with a truly memorable Epilogue! As such, the beginning of a Paragraph is a perfect mo-
ment to change Character or to add new Characters to
the story. If a littling or their Player can only take part
in one of the adventures within a Chapter this should
be no problem.

Each Chapter is made of a set number of Paragraphs.

When your group has played through all Paragraphs
within the Chapter, then it’s time to advance to the
next Chapter.

Pictured Here:
Yuliya, a fairy duelist,
flying toward battle.

r 188 s
 Few or Many An Animal Character gets the same Field and Skill

Players Points as a normal Character, and has a nominal

Profession and Vocation depending on their species.

This game was designed for groups of 3 or 4 Players Ӵ Beetle: Scissor for Hire Soldier
who go through their great adventures led by a Ӵ Bumblebee: Libertine Duelist
Narrator. Ӵ Gecko: Thief Criminal
Facing a single adventure with a smaller or larger Ӵ Mouse: Champion Hunter
number of Players shouldn’t be a problem.
However, if you want to play an entire Saga, with An Animal Character can freely choose their Traits
its many plot lines and facets, you might need some and Moves from the lists of either their Profession or
adjustments. the corresponding Animal Companion.
Bear in mind that animals can rely on natural
weapons, which they can choose as their favorite
weapon for Traits like Master at Arms, and which also
PLAYER AND NARRATOR allow them to use any Move that requires a specific
If the group is made of a single Player and a Narrator, type of weapon, like Feint.
it will probably be hard for a single Character to have Additionally, despite being a Hunter, the Mouse can
all the skills and talents needed to face an entire Saga, rely on the Profession-Specific Trait Master at Arms
with many dangers of every kind. instead of the standard Sharpshooter.

When a Character faces a Saga on their own, and only A Player setting off on an adventure alone can al-
then, you can bring into play some special Animal ways rely on the support and protection of 2 Animal
Characters. Characters.

Z
In my experience, MORE THAN 5 PLAYERS
the best companions If your group is made of more than 5 Players, I suggest
for an adventure you play more Sessions within each Paragraph. This
always have at least way you can make sure to give each of them a chance
four legs. to tell their story.
Additionally, in these situations, I highly recommend
Viscount you make sure to not have 2 Characters who share the
same Profession.
Oleg Protopopolov
Z When facing combat, the Narrator should always di-
vide the group in two smaller teams of 3 Players each,
An Animal Character, as the name suggests, is a trust- assigning an Opponent to each team.
ed animal who can also rely on their own Character This should make your experience more balanced
Sheet. and gratifying.
These exceptional travel companions are also
played by the Player, and they help their Character
face dangers that would otherwise be beyond a single
littling.

r 189 s
Pictured Here:
The Grand General of the Great Imperial Army,
r 190 s
Ludmillen Vonnhoimar-Eudoxia, the Silver Star.
 Historical
Events

Chapter I Chapter II
SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER VI H.C. JANUARY VII H.C. – MARCH VIII H.C.

Our story begins in September of VI H.C., after the Chapter II opens with a truly tragic event. In January
Astraviya Treaty was signed, when the nations of the of VII H.C. The Banister Caravan derailed as it was
House finally opened their borders. crossing the Great Stairs, crushed to the Steps below.
Survivors of the tragedy ended up lost in a wild and
The Frontier Opening was a turning point for extremely hostile land, and were forced to climb along
Household History, and marked the beginning of what the Steps to return to civilization.
would later be known as the Fragile Peace.
Before that day, traveling to other Rooms was a long This heavy blow to household transport was later
and expensive process, there were many limitations, claimed by Commander Kirkland, an undine who
strict checks, and draining waits at embassies and was the leader of a revolutionary group known as the
consulates to organize visas and permits. Additionally, Freers.
visitors could remain in other nations only for a strictly Kirkland and his unscrupulous littlings were survi-
regulated amount of time. vors of the Household War, veterans hardened on the
battlefield, who never accepted the Astraviya Treaty
The frontier opening was a big accomplishment on and continued to fight for the independence of the
the road to unifying the Household Folk, and allowed Upper Floor.
many young littlings to study or work abroad, and to Newspapers throughout the House followed the
travel and learn freely. story of how the Freers chased and took prisoner the
This fostered better integration, while also survivors, bent on using them as bargaining chips to
jump-starting many incredible adventures like the put pressure on the Realm. Finally, only the actions of
ones you are about to relive and retell now. a group of brave passengers could chase away the rebels
and restore peace.
This is where your Characters’ journey begins. Good After these events, the Banister Caravan was out of
luck! commission for the entire Chapter II. Anyone who
wished to travel to or from the Upper Floor, was forced

r 191 s
to take the long and dangerous route across the Great REFORMED AND RECIDIVISTS
Stairs, the highest mountain range in the House. After the events of Deepdown, many criminals, actu-
Additionally, the public attack by the Freers be- al and alleged, returned to the streets. Some of them
came the first spark to relight the fires of revolution turned out to be repeat offenders unwilling to hang
in the minds of many littlings, creating the perfect their nail, and they contributed to the sudden increase
historical context for those who wanted to overthrow in crime rates seen in every Household nation.
the High Council, not least the Tristarred. During Many others proved that they had learned from their
Chapter II there were many other attacks on the past mistakes, returning to their homes filled with
establishment, student protests, and rebellions, both good intentions. Nevertheless, they too were forced to
peaceful and violent. live in constant terror, being extremely careful not to
rouse any suspicion and not to get recognized, lest they
be deported or blackmailed.

Chapter III Most of the fugitives, both reformed and recidivists,

chose to climb to the Upper Floor to take advantage
of the more lenient laws of the Free Dominions, where
APRIL VIII H.C. – JANUARY IX H.C. extradition was impossible.
Among them, there was a brilliant sylph, Dall Soffer,
Chapter III begins with a mass jailbreak later known who went on to found a workshop in Beddingham and
throughout History as the Breakout at Deepdown. later developed the first design for double barreled
weapons.
The Deepdown maximum security prison in the
Basement was the place of confinement for many of
the worst criminals in the House.
In April of VIII H.C., some of the prisoners in
the lowest ring of the iron mountain managed to
make not one, but two openings in the prison walls,
allowing most of the prisoners to flee toward coveted
freedom.
One of these two escape routes lead the former pris-
oners straight to the Inbetweens, where many of them
fell victims of the cunning traps of spiders and centi-
pedes. The other led straight into the city of Penjara,
emerging amid the nests of the hornet bumblebees of
the Black Legion. Littlings who escaped through this
second route were hunted by the Militia, with the un-
luckiest of them ending in the sights of the Skullrider
Immeasurable Bastion.

While this might sound hard to believe, many of the

escapees survived the dangers of both routes and ul-
timately returned to freedom. Your Character might
have been one of them.
Or were they a prison guard? If nothing else, they Pictured Here:
Bravespine as pictured on a commemorative
certainly heard the news of the event, as the newspapers Coin on display in Wallford during the
hardly wrote of anything else! Centennial Celebration.

r 192 s
 Chapter IIII
FEBRUARY – NOVEMBER IX H.C. Financial
The most impressive celebration in Household History
marks the beginning of Chapter IIII.
Collapse
According to the traditional calendar, the year As consequence of the heist at the
IX H.C. coincides with 100 M.G. To celebrate this Rosevault Mint, many littlings found
important anniversary, the littlings of the Hearth their bank account cut in half. For
decided that the entire year (from Imbolc to Imbolc) this reason, when Paragraph III of
would be dedicated to a long list of festivities and events Chapter IIII begins, all Characters
that took the name of the Centennial Celebration. with more than 4 Coins lose half their
For the entirety of Chapter IIII, the Living Room Coins.
was decked out in many colors, and the entire House Additionally, all Rich and Well-off
joined in celebration with country fairs, themed events, Characters must roll a numeric die.
and dedicated shows. If the result is odd, they lose 1 Wealth
level. If the result is even, they lose 2 in
one fell swoop. It’s a hard blow!
DOUBLE BARRELED WEAPONS
The economic crisis caused by the
Beginning from Chapter IIII, firearms with the Heist of the Century has implications
Double Barreled Trait, enter the market. These weap- for state coffers as well. Beginning
ons cost twice as much as common firearms, but can from the last Paragraph of Chapter
shoot twice before reloading. A veritable revolution! IIII and for the entirety of Chapter
V, public services such as the mail and
transports cost more than ever.
THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY
During Chapter IIII, in the sumer of IX H.C., a large
group of criminals managed to carry out what was
thought to be beyond impossible. Their robbery was
all over the news, and was dubbed the Heist of the
Century.

Led by a criminal genius from Wallford, the cunning Some say they managed to break through the
littlings managed to infiltrate the Rosevault Mint Inbetweens and into the Top Hallway, perhaps even
in the Free Dominions. Making their way past the diving into the Piping to later emerge in the Basement.
Porcelain Army and the many security devices of the Others maintain that they jumped off of the Vanity
strongrooms placed inside the Inbetweens behind the with a bizarre type of parachute, miraculously evading
Vanity, the crooks managed to steal freshly printed the soldiers’ bullets. There are even some who claim
banknotes with a total value of one million Crystals. they left out of the main doors thanks to a simple dis-
And who knows what else! guise. That would be hilarious!
Despite the best efforts of the Freedomes, and the
fact that even the Heavy Infantry of the Porcelain I wonder if your Character was a member of that in-
Army was called to action, the criminals escaped. And famous gang? That would certainly be a story worth
nobody knows how. telling.

r 193 s
 Chapter V In the following months, and for the entire Chapter,
custom controls became extremely scrupulous, and
DECEMBER IX H.C. – OCTOBER X H.C. there was even canvassing in the cities. The authorities
held littlings for the smallest suspicions.
The Great Yule Ball is organized every year in
Tournoire on Yule’s Eve. This is the most prestigious
event held in the House, and only the most famous
littlings can take part in it. ASHES TO ASHES
Toward the end of the Chapter, news spread about
Chapter V opens with a terrible assassination attempt, some Tristarred leaders hiding in the Hearth in hopes
when the festivities were tragically interrupted by a of escaping from the Great Imperial Army. Leveraging
guest who took out his pistol in the ballroom to shoot the Astraviya Treaty, the Tsarina Arcadia Oberonovna
Marquis Tristan des Larmes while shouting “Ce n’est asked young Bravespine to allow the Golden Backs to
pas mon frère!” (This is not my brother). canvas the lands of the Living Room.
The cowardly terrorist failed in their attempt only General unrest stemming from this event caused sev-
because some brave littlings, who also happened to eral clashes between Hearthish people and the élite corps
be at the ball, intervened. Immediately after the shot, from the Realm. The abuse of power by the Golden
the palace was swarmed by the Tristarred, who broke Backs, who broke into private homes and farms to search
into the ballroom only to be heroically repelled by the for fugitives with impunity, led many littlings to feel be-
Great Imperial Army and some battle-ready guests. trayed by their Governor and turn to the Cinder Knights
of Cinderhall. Sir Edward Ashworth finally decided to
The attempt on Tristan des Larmes’ life pushed Grand deploy his knights “for the peaceful but unwavering
Duke Ludmillen to deploy his Golden Backs to every defense of the Hearth’s dignity”, thus increasing both
corner of the Realm, declaring a state of emergency. friction between Folks and internal conflicts.

r 194 s
 Epilogue in this book, and I’m afraid I really have no room left to
tell you the end of this story, as it would inevitably lead
OCTOBER 21, X H.C. me to another, and then another, and the next... And
my editor, you know, they gave me a strict limit on the
With the Golden Backs recalled from their post in number of pages.
the Outhold and deployed in the Hearth to search
for the Tristarred, the Realm’s defenses were greatly I guess I’ll have to tell you the rest of the story in the
weakened. In a moment of great chaos, the Tsarina next Volume, if my poor old boggart hands ever man-
Arcadia Oberonovna had to face yet another threat to age to write it. Now excuse me, my sweet partner says
the safety of her bright nation. that dinner is turning cold, and she calls me back to my
husbandly duties.
The Epilogue of this Volume begins on October 21st Please, don’t fret too much. After all, stories are what
of X H.C., when the entire Realm was shaken by an happens when we aren’t busy telling them.
unbelievable crash. The Glass of the Great Window
was suddenly shattered, and a swarm of Wild Faeries
overran the city on the Windowsill, destroying every-
thing in their path and marking the Fall of Faeriyev.

The Fae from the Outhold had lived for almost a

century in the wounded stump of their ancient home,
the Dendronaos Tree, and were now suddenly coming
to attack their own Folk. The strongest of them wore
hunting trophies like pieces of feathers and squirrel
claws. And even macabre helmets that looked like
sparrow skulls.
Not even the Great Imperial Army could stand their
ground against such ruthless invaders. Soon enough,
the city was conquered and nearly wiped out.

Even the Duke of the Window, Alexei Pukevich, who

was one of the greatest duelists in the House, was eas-
ily defeated and taken prisoner. Only after three days,
did a group of valiant littlings unknown to this day
manage to sneak into the city, facing epic battles and
adventures untold, to find a way to free the Duke and
bring him back to Highlight alive. Who knows, maybe
your Character was one of these valiant heroes!

The tragic events of Faeriyev shook the entire

Household, uncovering a terrible truth. The com-
mander of the invading army was an ancient imperial
fairy presumed dead many years ago. A littling who
would single-handedly bring nations to their knees.
You know who I am talking about... But would you
look at the time! It seems like the pages of this Volume
are running out. There is yet so much to tell and explain

Left: The attack against Marquis Pictured Here: A Fairy f rom the Outhold wearing
Tristan des Larmes during the Great Yule Ball. r 195 s trophies f rom both the Garden and House.
 Advancement

Every adventure leaves an indelible mark on your

Character’s life.
Experiences
Each meeting and argument, each tear and smile, go Experiences are short sentences that represent pivotal
on to become tiles in a beautiful mosaic that tells their moments in the life of your Character.
personal story. Whenever you face an event that leaves a mark, like a
desperate battle, a memorable dialog, or a mind-blow-
Keeping track of your Character’s development is all- ing discovery, the Narrator might ask you to write
around useful, but it is also arguably the reason for this down the Experience on your Sheet.
game. In the end, your story is just a sequence of unfor-
gettable experiences which have shaped you, making There are 4 types of Experiences:
you the littling you are today.
Ӵ Achievement: You learned a lesson or
In this chapter, I’ll describe the two important tools achieved something great.
you can use to best manage your Character’s growth, “I defeated a spurred centipede!”
making sure that every memorable scene and event
find the right place in the story. Ӵ Scar: You suffered physically, endured a
trauma, or faced a great disappointment.
Experiences represent the moments of a Chapter “Spiders terrify me.”
that you’re bound to remember, they can later come
into play and be either of Help or Hindrance on your Ӵ Bond: You developed a bond with someone.
adventures. You made a friend, a lover, or an enemy.
“Siobhan is a good friend.”
Your Character Growth, on the other hand, rep-
resents how they have matured with the passing years. Ӵ Reputation: You earned a good or bad
Advancing from one Chapter to the next, you’ll have reputation. People you meet might have heard
a chance to grow your Character’s Skills and gain new of you.
Traits and Moves that will make them truly unique. “I’m an incorruptible gendarme.”

r 196 s
 HELP AND HINDRANCE
All Experiences on your Character Sheet might be called
into play by either you or the Narrator, and become Advanced
Helpful or Hindering depending on the circumstances.
For example, the Experience “I defeated a spurred
centipede!” can prove Helpful whenever you have to
Characters
face a desperate situation, or when numbers are against A Character who comes into play
you. The memory of your past Achievement will keep during any Chapter after the first
your spirit strong. gains all Skill points, Traits, and
Similarly, the Experience “Spiders terrify me.” can Moves they would have gained by
become a Hindrance whenever you come face to face playing previous Chapters.
with an arachnid. Such a terrible Scar is hard to ignore.
However, they cannot get Memories
Although it’s true that Achievements are more likely for events that haven’t been played yet.
to Help and Scars are more likely to Hinder, there’s
always a way to turn the tables.
For example, the Experience “I defeated a spurred
centipede!” could be a Hindrance that pushes you to
charge head down against an enemy too strong for you.
And “Spiders terrify me.” could be Helpful, making
you keep your guard up when you need it. At the same time, if the Chapter is about to end and
Bonds and Reputations, on the other hand, can al- one Character sill has no Experiences, this should
ways be either Helpful or Hindering, depending on suggest that they haven’t had a chance to shine yet,
the littlings you’re dealing with. or they weren’t given enough space. A good Narrator
should strive to keep track of who has the most or least
Bear in mind that each Experience should never be Experiences, and consequently give every Player their
called into play more than once per Session, and only time in the limelight.
when it’s actually meaningful or crucial. Additionally, a Character always suffers a pertinent
Scar, either physical or metaphorical, when they are
forced to Bow Out.

GAINING AN EXPERIENCE
Whenever you face something that leaves a mark
on your Character, the Narrator might give you an EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES
Experience tied to that event.
For example, when you fall madly in love, when you Ӵ I climbed the Great Stairs
come out on top after a desperate situation, when some- Ӵ I became a parent
one sacrifices themselves for you, or when you barely sur- Ӵ I was in prison
vive a lethal danger; in all these situations, the Narrator Ӵ I broke a leg
might tell you to write the Experience on your Sheet. Ӵ I can’t trust anyone anymore
Ӵ I hate Lieutenant Paquette!
A Player should receive at least one Experience every Ӵ My sister is the best
Chapter, but they can always have more. Ӵ My gecko will never leave me
Bear in mind, that Experiences should go to the Ӵ They say I’m a bad sort
Character who is the protagonist of a scene, the one who Ӵ I’m the best dancer in Bedside
is having the greatest moment of tension or triumph. Ӵ They call me the Masked Mouse

r 197 s
Pictured Here: r 198 s
Litha Flammel and Humphrey
Lockwood parting ways at a crossroad.
 Character The Historians’ Debate is also the best moment to

Growth look at the Experiences of every Character and decide

which of them will become a Memory that will last
forever. Last but not least, it’s the time to choose how
During a Chapter, Characters will live through won- you wish to move forward with your Saga.
derful adventures, meet interesting littlings, and face
who knows how many hijinks. All this will allow them
to grow and develop both their body and mind.

When you advance to the next Chapter, you immedi-

ately gain 2 Skill points. You can freely place them in
Memories
any skill to represent the earned experiences of your When playing a Chapter, you will certainly make new
Character. Remember, you cannot place both points in memorable Experiences, which have a place of honor
the same Skill. on your Character Sheet.
The Bonds you made, the Achievements you
Additionally, when advancing to Chapter II and reached, the Scars you suffered, and the Reputations
Chapter IIII, you also learn a new Move of your choice you have earned are all meaningful events. But only
from those for your Profession. some of these Experiences will survive the test of time
When advancing to Chapter III and V, on the other and remain forever with you as Memories.
hand, you earn a new Trait. You can choose any Trait
except Profession-Specific Traits. In these moments, During the Historians’ Debate marking the end of
Animal Handlers can choose whether they want a Chapter, you’ll have the difficult task of discussing
to take a new Trait for themselves or their Animal with your fellow historians and choosing a single
Companion. Experience as the most meaningful for your Character.
This Experience will become a Memory. All other
When advancing to the Epilogue, you earn no Skill Experiences will be erased from the Sheet, making
points, no Traits, and no Moves. way for new Experiences in the next Chapter.

Memories have the same value as Experiences, they can be

called into play whenever they are Helpful or Hindering.
THE HISTORIANS’ DEBATE The only difference is that Memories will never be
Even if you are the representative of your Character, I forgotten or erased, they will be with you for the en-
urge you to always discuss with other historians before tirety of the Saga.
you choose a new Trait or Move and place your Skill
points. The best time to do this is during a short ses- Chapter IIII and Chapter V are especially dense with
sion I like to call the Historians’ Debate. important events. As such, when you and your friends
have the Historians Debate at the end of these Chapters,
At the end of a Chapter, you and the other histori- you can agree to turn up to 2 Experiences into as many
ans should stage a debate to discuss the adventures Memories, if they seem equally important.
you relived and how they might have changed your
Characters. While you always have the last word on
what to write on your Sheet, it’s always best to listen CHARACTER GROWTH
to the opinions and ideas of your fellow Players and Chapter II 2 Skill points + 1 Move
the Narrator. This is a great way to reinforce the group Chapter III 2 Skill points + 1 Trait
spirit, making everyone feel fully included in the col- Chapter IIII 2 Skill points + 1 Move
lective creation of the Saga. Chapter V 2 Skill points + 1 Trait

r 199 s
r 200 s
 V III
The House
o f r o o m s , a n d c h a rac t e r s i n h a b i t i n g t h e m

r 201 s
r 202 s
 Pictured Here:
r 203 s
A littling rides his mouse
toward the House.
 Welcome to LANDS OF THE HOUSEHOLD

the House Over the next pages, I’ll do my best to describe all the
domains and Rooms of the House as they were in the
years of the Fragile Peace. In this endeavor, I’ll gladly
I’m especially fond of this chapter because it allows me call on the beautiful art and faithful replicas by Mr.
to go back in my mind and retrace with my pen all the Bilibinski.
wonderful places which I visited in my youth, and that
now are just memories, postcards in a drawer. First, I will tell you of the common lands of the Entry
Hall, the Stairs, and the Hallways, which are ultimate-
Part of me would love to go back, to see Highlight or ly places that exist between the Doors to the various
the Great Blade again, and I’d love even more to go nations.
shopping among the market stands of Beddingham or In this first section, I’ll also indulge in a short digres-
looking for molds in the wild Inbetweens. But then I sion on the festivities that mark the rhythm of the year
remember that those places have probably changed a in the Household, just for the sake of clarity.
lot since I last visited, and I choose to stay here.
My study is warm and cozy, my armchair is soft, After going over the common lands, I’ll proceed with
things that hardly suit the adventurous littling I once the Rooms on the Ground Floor, which are the Dining
was, but at least here I can find one last little window Hall, heart of the Realm, and the Living Room, home
onto a different World, one that is long gone. of the Hearth.
I’ll then take you to the Upper Floor, where the
The House is vast and dangerous, full of pitfalls and Bathroom and Bedrooms that make up the Free
traps, it has seen thousands of battles, but is always Dominions are located. And last but not least, I’ll lead
beautiful and majestic. Its tall Walls decorated with you down the Quivering Stairs and to the Basement,
ancient motifs shine with all the colors of the Master, land of the Horde.
the Carpets with their thick, tall tufts stretch out to
the horizon, endless, then there are the unreachable
Ceilings that humidity has painted with indoor-stars,
Z
All the House’s a stage,
everything in this place has been created to scale for a
Family that has vanished mysteriously.
and all the littlings merely players.
Saoirse Winsor
No one can claim to have seen every corner of this
vast world, and the numerous atlases and maps and
breathtaking pictures we have can barely scratch the
Z
surface of the multifaceted wonder we are so lucky to For your convenience, I’ll also interlace the descrip-
inhabit. tions of the various locations in the House with fun
insights about the historical figures who inhabited
Who knows how big it is, how long it has been stand- them or did something important there, as well as
ing. We may never find an answer to these questions. some remarkable or historical events that could prove
However, one thing is so self-evident that we can never useful to your work as historians.
doubt it: us littlings may come and go, kingdoms and
empires may rise and fall, but the House will always Once again, for your convenience, I attach here on
exist, and it will go on forever to tell us its History. the next page a nice, detailed map of the House. This
unique piece has been painted by hand by a Boggart
cartographer by the name of Percival “Percy” Potton,
whom I thank for his contribution.

On the right:
A map of the House
r 204 s f rom the year VI H.C.
r 205 s
 The Entry Hall zens of the Free Dominions who come to the Ground
Floor on their way to any other Nation, but also for the
Beyond the First Threshold, there’s the Entry Hall, good people of the Realm who travel to the Hearth or
a place that more than any other can make even the the Horde, and more broadly for anyone who wishes to
smuggest of littlings feel small. Before you stand the climb to the Upper Floor.
majestic Great Stairs, that lead up from the Ground
Floor, to the Upper Floor and the Free Dominions. Local inns are always busy, and large groups of hunters
On your left, a sliver of light, the Pale Threshold to wait inside and outside the establishments, sometimes
the Dining Hall is the only way to reach the Realm of jostling to be chosen as guides by travelers.
Faeries.
On the right, walking along Stairside, you can enter
the lands of the Hearth by stepping through the wide Event:
Open Threshold to the Living Room. Casting your In the Inbetweens
gaze to the horizon, you can even glimpse the corner of In the beginning of Chapter I an upset-looking old
the Long Hallway, a dangerous and grueling crossing boggart went from tavern to tavern, asking travelers
that leads to the Quivering Stairs and then down to and hunters for help. Rigby, that was his name, had no
the Basement, land of the Horde. money to offer and that’s why everyone rudely turned
him away.
To those who listened to him, the boggart told
about a large silver Coin that belonged to the Master.
DOWNRIDGE A treasure recovered by Rigby and his soldiers during
The charming town of Downridge stands on the first the Household War that now laid buried somewhere
two Steps of the Stairs. It is usually crowded with all in an old stretch of the Inbetweens in the Wall next to
manner of tourists and travelers from all the corners of the Great Stairs.
the House. Afterall, it’s a mandatory stop for all citi-

r 206 s
 On either side of Downridge there are two small
customhouses managed by the Great Imperial Army
of the Realm, as established by the Astraviya Treaty.
The officers usually pay more attention to the goods
Events
crossing the frontier than the individual littlings, In between the beautiful illustrations
as their main duty is preventing the traffic of illegal and descriptions of the House, its
weapons and rare or dangerous animals. famous locations and characters, you
will find these elegant frames.
From Downridge you can also go up to the Banister Each of these supplementary para-
thanks to a special elevator service. These wooden graphs is dedicated to an interesting
platforms with low parapets are tied to the shells of Event or an important Historical
two large pack snails that climb up and down the col- Event.
umn, ferrying littlings to and from the Caravan to the
Upper Floor. Events are occurrences of various
The Caravan is a special convoy made up of three kinds which could be used as inspira-
coaches towed by big mice of Shire breed. They cover tion or prompts for the adventures of
the distance to Topridge in just two days, stopping for your littlings.
the night at the changing station halfway up the Stairs Each Event will tell you about
located on the Banister . something that happened in the
As such, the caravan leaves every four days, and tick- House during the Fragile Peace, and
ets are always booked well in advance, despite the fact it could somehow be tied to the story
that they are a luxury item. of your Characters.

Historical Events, on the other hand,

Historical Event: are important developments for the
Tragedy on the Banister Household. Famous happenings that
In the beginning of Chapter II, the Banister Caravan you’d find in any History book wor-
derailed for no apparent reason, bringing the tireless thy of the name.
mice and many littlings to an untimely demise. Each Historical Event will remind
Those who happened to be nearby or were on the
you about how the House changed
Caravan must have had a terrifying experience.
over the years, and it could either di-
See “Chapter II” in Section VIII “Saga”.
rectly or indirectly influence the life of
your Characters forever.

In all confidence, most of the stories you’ll hear will

You’ll find more in-depth retellings of
probably begin with a group of strangers brought to-
these Historical Events further in this
gether by fate in Downridge, who will then become
book, in Section VIII “Saga”.
tangled in who knows what strange adventure.
I couldn’t tell you why this happens, but my expe-
rience leads me to believe that every littling passing
through this town is looking for thrills and maybe a
pinch of danger, whether they know it or not!

On the left:
The town of Downridge welcomes
people on the Great Stairs. r 207 s
 THE GREAT STAIRS The descent is certainly not easy, considering also
The Great Stairs are the largest mountain range of the that Faeries can’t even try to fly down the Stairs be-
Household, connecting the Ground Floor with the cause of the strong gusts of wind blowing from the
Upper Floor. The steps are combed through daily by Entry Hall toward the Short Hallway.
hunters, who have no trouble stumbling into beetles, If anyone were to have the misfortune of falling
earwigs, centipedes, and even some spiders coming from down from the Banister, they would probably get
the Inbetweens of the Wall and tears in the wallpaper. dragged who knows where, at the mercy of the winds.

Diving deeper into this dark and damp land, you can
find all types of fungi and molds, even the most rare
and precious. There is no shortage of treasure and relic TOPRIDGE
hunters, who scour the region in search of ancient arti- There’s little to do in Topridge but eating, resting, and
facts from the time of the War between the Boggarts getting medical care, and that is pretty much everything
and Sprites in the years after the Master’s disappearance. the littlings who get there want.
The Steps were also the battlefield for the Battle of You can buy souvenirs and postcards from the
the Great Stairs, where hundreds of young brave bog- Ground Floor pretty much anywhere in town, one last
garts lost their lives, and Big Ben Hearthworth met resort for all tourists who forgot to bring something
his demise. back for their relatives in the Freedomes.

All those who don’t have the funds needed to snatch The customhouse leading from the Stairs to Topridge
some tickets for the Banister Caravan will have no choice is much like the one in Downridge, similarly patrolled
but to face the grueling climb of the Stairs if they’re still by littlings of the Great Imperial Army, whereas the
bent on getting to the other side. It takes days to clam- one that leads out of town and to the Top Hallway
ber all the way from Downridge to Topridge, and the is managed by the Free Dominion Police as well as a
path between them is dangerous to say the least, even if group of soldiers of the Porcelain Army.
you’re traveling with an expert guide.

r 208 s
 THE INBETWEENS
There are many Rooms and Hallways in the House, but
there is also a tangled maze sprawling inside the Walls Shining
and Floors, made of deep, dark, and damp tunnels.
We call all the places usually out of sight Inbetweens,
and they are the undisputed domain of molds and fungi,
Mold
but also of the most terrifying predators of the House. The Inbetweens are dark and dan-
Each rent, each tear in the wallpaper, each split in gerous. The only occasional reprieve
the wood, and each crack in the Wall are all crooked from the incessant darkness are the
doors to the intricate world that extends in the infinite Shining Molds.
spaces between one Wall and the next, between a
Ceiling and a Floor. These moldy clumps that emit a nat-
ural yellow-green brilliance are the
Often enough, walking through the Inbetweens would best friends of hunters and travelers.
be the fastest way to travel, allowing you to move from
Room to Room while also avoiding the custom con-
trols. Hunters can always find good prey in these dark
spaces, and criminals can rely on them as free zones
outside the reach of all authorities.
However, there are many grave dangers roaming feat that takes up to four or five days on foot, and the
the Inbetweens, and it is usually best not to face them journey is made even harder by the thick layer of dust
casually. Even skirting by them for too long could be that makes it impossible to maintain a good pace.
enough for you to fall prey to ambush attacks by spi- Here and there in the Hallway, there are thickets of
ders and centipedes. mushrooms that in the damp seasons turn to verita-
ble flooded swamps, inhabited by wasps, hornets, and
beetles of all kinds. Trying to steer away from these
thickets will inevitably bring you closer to the Walls
THE SHORT HALLWAY and consequently to the Inbetweens, home of spiders
Traveling further down the side of the Stairs there’s a and centipedes of all kinds. Long story short, which-
wide arch, the entrance to the Short Hallway. This vast ever path you choose, crossing the Long Hallway is
expanse is almost completely covered in dark Carpet, always a feat, but it’s also the only way to reach the
home to a number of dangers. Quivering Stairs that lead to the Basement, and the
The lack of Windows plays a major role in the dark only way to get back.
twilight atmosphere of this region of the House, but
the result is gloomy rather than scary. The one solace for weary travelers are the indoor-stars,
Bear in mind that you’ll need one to two days to glowing strokes of molds painted on the Hallway
cross the Short Hallway by foot, and the only reason Ceiling that you can use to find your bearings and keep
these vast plains take such a misleading name is be- track of the way behind you. In the darkest nights,
cause there’s a much larger Hallway nearby. those far away pseudo-stars are the only landmark in
sight, for those who know where to look.

The lands of the Long Hallway are patrolled by sen-

THE LONG HALLWAY tries of the Great Imperial Army, tasked with keeping
Once you reach the end of the Short Hallway you’re at bay both the insect plague and the bandits, but also
forced to turn left to delve deeper into the Long with monitoring the movements of the Horde Army
Hallway. Crossing this barren wasteland is a grueling even now, in times of peace.

On the left:
A group of littlings ventures
into the Inbetweens. r 209 s
 The Wheel BELTANE

of the Year
MAY 1 ST
According to tradition, Beltane was the day Faeries
came into the House, when they passed the breach of
Year after year, the rhythm of life in the House is the Great Window after the fall of the Dendronaos Tree.
marked by eight festivities known as the Wheel of This yearly celebration was recommended to everyone
the Year. Each of them celebrates specific important in the House by the so-called dear departed Oberon
events of our History, beginning with the Master’s Trismegistus, and has become an eagerly awaited and
Disappearance, and is tied to specific traditions and celebrated holiday regardless of its original meaning.
rituals that repeat year after year, brightening the life Beltane festivities are long and grand, and mostly con-
of littlings. As the hopeless folklore enthusiast that I sist of people baking and eating the traditional honey pas-
am, I believe it’s paramount to spend these few pages tries. Additionally, it’s when the most important Fencing
describing the Wheel of the Year, so that you can best Tournament of the Realm takes place in Faeriyev.
understand how the events of the past are remembered
and still resonate in these celebrations.

LITHA
JUNE 19 TH -23 RD
IMBOLC Litha celebrates the summer solstice and the coming of the
FEBRUARY 2 ND warm season. In these merry days of festivities, the House
Imbolc has a double value as it both commemorates the is painted in reds and yellows, and street performers, music
disappearance of the Master and his Family and be- and dance permeate every city. Smaller towns light great
seeches his return. Oral tradition tells us that one Imbolc bonfires where people can roast the fattiest, juiciest mush-
morning a long time ago, good Big Ben Hearthworth rooms, but by far the most sought-after destination for
awoke to find that the House was left empty. those who want to bask in the celebrations is Astraviya.
On the anniversary of that day, littlings take care of Because in the capital you can actually see all man-
household chores, cleaning and tidying up their towns ners of performers, and you even have the unique
as a symbolic gesture of the shared (clearly not by all) opportunity to visit the private collection of Oleg
will to keep the House ready for the Master’s return. Protopopolov and his prestigious Zoological Garden.
Boggarts are also wont to travel to Cinderhall,
bringing offerings to the Cinder Knights, or going on
a pilgrimage to the Master’s Seat.
LUGHNASADH
AUGUST 1 ST
Wise Paracelsus managed to take the ingredients from the
OSTARA Pantry and create mushrooms and molds with an infinite
MARCH 19 TH array of properties, shapes, and sizes, which then went on
Ostara is the youngest festival of the Household, com- to colonize all corners of the House thanks to their spores.
memorating the end of the First Household War and This major event is celebrated every year on Lughnasadh
the beginning of what would later be known as the with many harvest festivals and is especially felt in small
Fragile Peace. rural towns. In sleepy Bookshire everyone is involved
On this day, littlings come together with their fam- in the celebration of this festival, as they organize a fair,
ilies to eat delicious meals and traditional desserts, with lively folk dances and the most delicious food in the
but some choose to attend or take part in the Fencing Hearth. People of Glasburg, on the other hand, use this
Tournament organized each year in Viletia by will of festival as the perfect excuse to consume barrels of beer
the Skullrider Verana. made with the best aromatic mushrooms.

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 MABON YULE
SEP TEMBER 21 ST-24 TH DECEMBER 25 TH
Mabon falls each year on the autumn equinox and Nowadays the Yule Tree is an important hunting
marks the end of summer and the beginning of the ground for the Hearth, and it has been almost com-
colder months. pletely stripped of ornaments, but many years ago, it
On this occasion, everyone expresses their gratitude was the place of a bloody battle between Sprites and
and, according to tradition, people spend it having a Boggarts.
meal with friends or extended family. The Battle of Yule took place about ten
years after the Master’s Disappearance
Long ago littlings from all over and is considered one of the
used to visit the Fireplace to harsher conflicts in history.
bring their offerings to the Oral tradition tells us that,
Household Fire, so that it after weeks of tensions
would burn even bright- and recurring battles in
er through autumn and the freezing tempera-
winter. Now this tra- ture, both Boggarts and
dition survives mainly Sprites were weary and
among Boggarts who tired, to the point they
live in the Hearth. could barely drag the
bodies of the dead out
of the snow that blew
in through the Cracked
Window.
On a particularly freezing
night, an Undine with a white
beard walked toward the Boggart
camp with his hands up in surrender
and asked to be let in. To the surprise of all,
SAMHAIN the littling was bearing a gift: what little was left in a
NOVEMBER 1 ST box of dried mushrooms from the Upper Floor. The
The first Samhain coincides with the Wild Hunt, the name of that Undine, as I’m sure you know well, was
time when Sluagh first arrived in the House. That Klaus, and his gesture marked the beginning of one of
event marked the beginning of an age of plundering, the most extraordinary events I can imagine. They say
wars, and misunderstandings that lasted almost half that both Boggarts and Sprites followed his example,
a century and only stopped after the founding of the exchanging what little they had as presents and find-
High Council. ing comfort in company, at least for the night. On the
following day, a week-long truce was declared, and Big
On this day the lands of the Horde celebrate their Ben Hearthworth himself chose to give the turned-
golden idols from Farbeyond, and the festivity is gen- out lights of the Yule Tree to the enemy as a token of
erally somber and tinted with a hint of sadness. respect.
In other nations, and especially the Freedomes, chil- Those lights were later brought back to working
dren wear masks and costumes that mimic the bar- condition by Wise Paracelsus, and to this day they
baric, monstrous armors worn by the first Sluagh, and shine over Beddingham, and every year, everywhere in
travel from house to house to “plunder” the neighbors the House, littlings build small Yule trees, and children
for some candy. wait for good Klaus to bring them gifts.

r 211 s
r 212 s
 Pictured Here:
The Highlight Chandelier reflects the
light of the Great Window through the
Dining Hall.

r 213 s
 Dining
H all

Wide and bright, the Dining Hall and its green walls The imperial customhouse charms newcomers at
are a symbol of the timeless beauty that permeates the first sight, anticipating the wealth of gold and bright
House. colors that populate the beautiful cities of this nation.
Looking just beyond the houses you can already see
Root domain of the Realm and home of Faeries, the the huge structure of the Piano and the shining lights
Dining Hall is a wealthy, lush paradise, tempting even of Astraviya glimmering on the horizon. Even the
the most austere littlings with its luxuries and frills, Great Window pales in comparison.
whispering in their ears about costume balls, court
intrigues, and shining lights reflecting in the crystals The town is thoroughly patrolled by the littlings of
of Astraviya. the Royal Gendarmerie, with their green and crimson
uniforms that inspire unparalleled order and rigor, af-
terall, they and their families make up most of the local
population.
LA RUELLE People of La Ruelle are usually polite, but they have
FRONTIER OF THE REALM no patience for troublemakers, and it’s easy to stumble
The only way to enter the lands of the Realm is into law-abiding citizens all-too eager to alert gen-
through the frontier in La Ruelle, beneath the Door darmes to any wrongdoing.
to the Dining Hall. After stepping through the gap
of the Pale Threshold, a shiny sign with the national Passing through here, you just have to make a stop to
motto “To Protect and Conquer” welcomes visitors, taste the honey-based delicacies prepared daily with
underneath it there’s a newer message, a simple but honey gathered directly from the beehives by hunters
pleasant “Welcome” translated in all languages of the of the local dens of Hawthorn and Goldwing.
Household. To answer the great demand for these sweets has nev-
er been easy, but it’s getting harder every year with the
Not far ahead stands an ordered row of checkpoints growing market since the frontiers have been opened.
that traffic can file through on the way in or out, while As such, there’s also a growing demand for littlings
dozens of diligent littlings check the goods, delivery who are brave enough to transport the sweet loads to
notes, and travelers’ documents. many different nations, or even reckless enough to go
hunting for honey straight from the source.

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 THE WAXY SWALE hornets. Beasts have complete control over the central
HUNTING GROUND OF THE REALM region, and you can always stumble into some crawling
Less than one day on foot from La Ruelle, you’ll find insects and even the occasional gluttonous rat.
the largest hunting ground of the Realm. The Waxy Only littlings with a proper hunting license are al-
Swale stands out in the distance, a canyon of beehives lowed to hunt these beasts, and even then, they may
that shines in the golden light of the Great Window, only kill up to two wasps or insects or one hornet each.
but as you get closer, the enchanted beauty fades, and
the danger becomes evident.

Trickles of solidified wax paint the tall mushrooms

of the Swale in shades of yellow, transforming them
into ghastly cages with irregular bars. Long ago, this
hunting ground was an amazingly beautiful place, a
honey garden that was sadly left untended during the
Household War, and quickly reclaimed by the wild
forces of nature.
Those who go against these strict rules will certainly
Some hunters brave this region of the Dining Hall to face the wrath of the rangers from the Great Imperial
search for rare mushrooms or molds, and even more try Army, who work tirelessly under direction of the
to infiltrate the beehives to gather honey or royal jelly, Gamekeeper General Jean Claude Van-Claude.
which will fetch a pretty penny back in town.
On the other hand, there is no fine for those who kill
But these adventurers must be extremely cautious, be- unwanted pests that threaten the local ecosystem.
cause the outskirts of the Swale teem with wasps and You can even be compensated for each rat tail you
bring back to the rangers in La Ruelle or Mount
Guignol.
Pictured Here:
The Waxy Swale – main hunting grounds of the Realm.

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 The Inbetweens BISMILLA

of the Realm
THE GIANT CENTIPEDE
If you make too much of a ruckus on your way through
the Inbetweens of the Realm, you risk an unpleasant
I said the only way to enter the Realm is through the encounter. Silent as the night, a mammoth centipede
threshold and the customhouse in La Ruelle, but I slithers through the bones of the Wall in search of
probably should have said that that is the only legal tasty spiders to munch on. If need be, she’ll also settle
way. for a couple littlings, hopefully plump ones.
I actually know of several littlings who managed to
sneak into the nation by accessing the Inbetweens near Your Characters can’t know this, clearly, and I do hope
Downridge and using them to reach all the way to the they won’t learn about it at their expense!
middle of the Waxy Swale. What I can say is this: any misstep you make in the
Inbetweens, any time you linger after fighting a spider
The Inbetweens of the Realm are tight and packed or plundering its lair, you risk a close encounter with
with roaches and beetles that come here following the the huge Bismilla.
smell of honey, and also home to spiders of all species
and sizes. I’ve heard it said that this creature was once a tiny larva
The dark, winding paths force you to go up and bought back from the lands of the Horde after one
down, round and round again before reaching the oth- of the many journeys of Viscount Oleg Protopopolov,
er side, and as such, travelers are usually forced to make and that for years she was the crown jewel of his pri-
camp in the Inbetweens for at least one night, hoping vate collection. She was a tiny thing, but she had the
they won’t wake up as the next meal of some beast. appetite of a wolf spider, and no amount of roach meat
was ever enough for her. So, her loving master decided
Without an expert guide, the trek becomes even hard- he’d try to quench her hunger with huge buckets of
er, and I have heard of people who were stuck in the royal jelly shoveled day and night by tireless servants.
Inbetweenss for days, unable to find a way out, and But despite his many efforts, the centipede was al-
sometimes even ending up where they started! ways hungry, and she never stopped growing.
The only consolations for the unlucky travelers in The Fairy only realized his mistake when it was al-
the Inbetweens are the many shining molds that light ready too late and his “little” Bismilla destroyed her
the way, and the high humidity that favors the forma- cage and the walls of the Zoological Garden, vanishing
tion of several water holes, as well as the propagation into the night, never to return.
of mushrooms and molds of all types, even the rarest.
If your Characters ever meet her, they’ll easily recog-
In all confidence, I too had to take this dangerous path nize her because of the charming silk bow still perched
when the frontiers were still closed and there was no on her head, the last present of loving Oleg.
other way for a Boggart to find work, and I didn’t find They may manage to escape, or even drive her away,
it all that scary. who knows. I’ve even heard of someone who managed
It is true, some were not so lucky. Everybody knows to sign a Vainglory Contract with this creature as
that at one point an extremely obnoxious creature be- intermediary.
gan making life hard for transgressors.
What I know for certain is that, at the end of the events
described in this volume, the creature was still alive,
and anyone saying otherwise is lying. History shows
that little Bismilla still had a part to play.

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 The Piano
The Piano is the dark looming mountain that gives the The
name to the Blackshine region, which also includes La
Ruelle and the Waxy Swale.
Depending on your mode of transportation, you’ll
Tristarred
need between two and three days to reach the foot of It was in the Piano that a group of
the mountain from the Threshold. From there, you hyper-nationalist soldiers decided
can fly upward to the Shiny Stool, but no further, on to rebel against Colonel Jules des
penalty of being shot down by the sharpshooters of the Larmes and commit terrible crimes
Great Imperial Army. against any littling that did not be-
Alternatively, littlings with no wings can travel by long to the Fairy Folk.
escargot.
These large and colorful pack snails go up and down After being mostly defeated by the
on the legs of the Stool pulling decorated baskets that Marquis, these “Tristarred” are now
can host two to three littlings. You have to leave your a stain on the history of the Realm.
mounts at the stables here, while regularly registered To this day, the Tristarred remain
Animal Companions ascend on their own, or also pay a threat on the population, as they
for a ticket. secretly plot to overthrow the High
After reaching the Shiny Stool, documents, weap- Council.
ons, and littlings are all checked before you can finally
access the Ivory Perron.

THE IVORY PERRON

The Piano Keys partially collapsed after the Battle The first level of the city brims with street perform-
of Blackshine in 87 M.G., about four years before ers, mostly musicians, small shops, and quaint houses,
the founding of the High Council. Today, they have but it also hosts the Royal Gendarmerie station, and a
become a matchless set of stairs, allowing littlings clinic. Walking through the narrow streets, the smell
to climb up to Mount Guignol while taking in the of wood intertwines with the aromas of bakeries and
beautiful panorama that spans the entire Dining Hall. chestnut flour, and all senses are captivated by a se-
Coming to the top, you can’t help but be captivated by quence of deliciously refined stimuli.
the crumbling, timeless charm of the wonderful Fae
city as you step into the tangled wooden heart of the The inner section of this level is separated by a dense
Piano. row of hammers, and it hosts many less-elegant inns
and joints where you can taste the strongest local
liquors and indulge in some gambling. In the inner
block you can also find several brothels, most of them
MONT GUIGNOL legal, with such steep prices, they are clearly reserved
After reaching the inside of the Piano, you’re almost for a wealthier clientele.
overcome by the mahogany arches of gloomy Mount
Guignol, with the elegant sheet music hanging under By climbing any of the many staircases in the city, you
them to celebrate the Master’s Music that is still taught can reach the second level. Here, among the arches
in the conservatory. you’ll find sheet music, but also veritable frescoes of

r 217 s
exquisite taste, portraying scenes of war and other his- TOURNOIRE
torical events. The greatest artists of the Realm work THE EBONY CASTLE
tirelessly to make this part of the city unique, and here On top of the Piano looms the Ebony Castle, a real
you may even attend wonderful theatrical plays, both fortress town that hosts the residences of many local
classical and contemporary. nobles, the historical University of Tournoire, and a
garrison of the Great Imperial Army, as well as the
In the main square, you may sip a good coffee while central branch of the National Bank of the Realm.
admiring the monument to the Butterfly Spider, pride Those who have visited the Castle, describe it as a
and emblem of Mount Guignol. gloomy, crumbling place, that once was possibly the
This obsidian statue was imported by Colonel Jules most charming citadel in the House. The Battle of
des Larmes when he returned from the military cam- Blackshine marred the facade of the castle as well as
paign in the Basement. It originally represented one the interiors, leaving them worn and scarred by blows
of the Sluagh idols but was later embellished with from all kinds of weapons. Even the wallpaper was
brightly colored crystal wings made by none-other partially burned and torn, and all-in-all, nothing in
than the master Auguste Fabergé. those rooms was refurbished after the conflict, as ex-
plicitly ordered by the Marquis.
The eminent Fairy was summoned under orders of the Strong gusts of wind make it hard to fly out there,
Marquis Tristan des Larmes, and he left his study in and only the Golden Backs are skilled enough to spread
Glasburg to open a clinic in this city. Here, Faeries their wings in those circumstances. The Marquis and
that had their wings torn off can regenerate them by Duke themselves rely on a special mahogany carriage
being enclosed in one of the precious crystal cocoons. pulled by two vermilion beetles on the rare occasions
However, the price of this operation is exorbitant. when they leave the citadel.

Pictured Here:
Marquis Tristan des Larmes,
the Dark Fairy.

r 218 s
Despite the fact that the Duke of Blackshine, the ence the shade of his clothes, his pasty white makeup,
imperial Fairy Robin Guillaume Fleurblanche, owns and last but not least, his choice of furniture.
the castle, the throne in the ballroom is always occu- After the Battle of Blackshine, he decreed that
pied by his protector, the Marquis Tristan des Larmes, Tournoire should not undergo any restoration or refur-
also known as the Dark Fairy. This mysterious littling bishing, stating that the scars of battle would be suit-
freed the Duke during the Battle of Blackshine, put- able decoration for the castle. This doesn’t exactly meet
ting an end to the Tristarred rebellion, and earning his the favor of his guests, who inhabit gloomy rooms with
important title, as well as enough power to be able to marred walls. Bullet holes, broken inlays, scarred walls,
satisfy his every whim. and furniture covered in cuts are all in plain sight, like
pieces of what Tristan calls “wartime art”.

Historical Event: The Marquis’ entourage is also packed with strange

The Great Yule Ball characters with all manner of eccentricities and anom-
If the Characters wandered through here in Chapter alous features that elsewhere would be unanimously
V, they could have found jobs at the palace for the deemed unfit for life at the palace. However, beyond
Great Yule Ball and, who knows, maybe they were appearances, these brave littlings are all wartime he-
even important enough to be on the guest list for the roes who contributed to the liberation of the Piano
most exclusive party of the year! and defeat of the Tristarred: while they may lack a
See “Chapter V” in Section VIII “Saga”. noble pedigree, they have proven beyond all doubt to
value justice above all.

Many people secretly wish to depose the Marquis

TRISTAN DES LARMES because, according to them, he is usurping the seat
THE DARK FAIRY pertaining to Fleurblanche with the made-up title of
(Not to be confused with Protector of the Duke.
Xavian Torqueda, the Dark Fairy) Truth is, young Fleurblanche has never shown any
interest or inclination for leadership and, after his
“It took much sweat to build this city. But it took immediate surrender to the Tristarred, he lost all pre-
more blood to tear it down. And I say the latter is tenses of power, becoming little more than a hostage
far more precious, and more kind”. in his own palace.

Tristan des Larmes is a handsome and unsettling lit- In all confidence, people in the city have long been
tling who never fails to make his guests uncomfortable saying that Tristan is not really the son of Jules des
with one look. His deep dark eyes and jet-black hair Larmes, but just a Sluagh child picked up during the
have earned him the name of “the Dark Fairy”. Not Basement campaign much like the spider idol, and
the most original of monikers, if I may. that just like the statue, he also wears fake wings, fool-
In stark contrast with his title are the multicolored ing nobody.
wings that resemble those of the imperial family. From Some go as far as saying that he has an entire room
time to time, they appear to change in shape or design, dedicated to his wing collection, where they’re exhibit-
and people in town say that is the work of Auguste ed like trophies or vestments.
Fabergé, whose presence was requested by the Marquis At the time of the events in this volume nobody
himself. knew the truth behind this gossips, but in the end,
they proved to be well-founded, and I can say that
Tristan is always impeccably elegant despite the fact the Marquis still had an important part to play in
that his taste for the macabre and grotesque also influ- this story.

r 219 s
 The Table LUDMILLEN
VONNHOIMAR-EUDOXIA
Exactly in the center of the Dining Hall stands a ma- THE SILVER STAR
jestic Table, surrounded on every side by four, just as
majestic Chairs. “Do not offer me the crown, it would not fit my
During the day, the Table shines with the light from helmet”
the Great Window reflected by the majestic Crystal
Chandelier above in rainbows. The Duke of Lowlight, Ludmillen Vonnhoimar-
Eudoxia, also holds the title of Captain of the Golden
On top of the Table stands the shining Astraviya, the Backs and Gran General of the Imperial Army, on top
Crystal City that is the capital of the Realm and the of being the oldest Fairy in the House.
beating heart of Fae society. He is most likely found in uniform, with manicured
white hair and beard, and his long vermilion wings
swishing down his back like a precious cape.

ASTRAVIYA He excelled in so many battles that I cannot hope to

THE CRYSTAL CITY enumerate them here. Suffice to say that he spent so
The capital of the Realm is an extensive city, taking up many years on the battlefront that his golden chafer
the entire surface of the Table but also the Chandelier armor has grown pale and cold in color, gaining him
hanging above it, where the Imperial palace is located. the moniker of “Silver Star”.
This leaves the Crystal City divided into two districts: Ludmillen is the nephew of so-called dear departed
Lowlight, including everything based on the Table, Oberon Trismegistus, and at the time of his uncle’s
and Highlight, which includes everything on the death, he was considered by many the most likely
Chandelier. successor.

r 220 s
As you may know, it was because of his deliberate
choice to renounce the throne, that Tsarina Arcadia
Oberonovna was crowned when she was still little
more than a child. That choice was the source of dis-
content among other imperial Faeries, and left several
members of the nobility unhappy, though they’d never
show it.
The rest is History.

LOWLIGHT
The city is wealthy and clean, and strolling among the
tall glass building is a feast for the eyes.
Every street, the broad and the narrow, is peppered
with studios and shop windows of all kinds, studded
with the golden signs of barbershops, restaurants, and
luxury hotels. The crime rate is among the lowest in the
Household, mainly thanks to the efforts of the Royal
Gendarmerie and the wide use of military-trained
hound mice.

If your Characters happen to be here during Chapter

I, they’ll probably have to deal with the fact that many
historical buildings aren’t furnished with stairs and
ramps for those lacking wings. However as soon as
Chapter III, they’d be able to see first-hand (and tread Above: Arcadia Oberonovna, Ruling Empress
of the House.
first-foot) the many walkways built by order of the On the left: The streets of Lowlight Astraviya,
Tsarina, to ease the integration of other Folks. Capital of the Realm.

At the center of the city stands a beautiful palace of

blue crystal, the historical seat of the Royal University Here, you may admire animals and insects from the
of Astraviya, which is a popular destination for tour- furthest corners of the Household. The gardens are
ists and students, especially because of its rich library. located under a crystal dome divided into protected
To the misfortune of foreign visitors all the books enclosures known as habitats, and each habitat is built
are written in Fae, however, if you’re willing to part as a reproduction of the natural environment of the
with some money, you can easily hire one of the expert creatures it hosts and displays but a few tiny meters
translators at the entrance who can make the knowl- beneath the visitors.
edge accessible to you
Near the university there’s the headquarters of the Once a year, the owner, Viscount Oleg Protopopolov,
Great Imperial Army, hosting a considerable num- also opens the doors to his private collection, hosting
ber of Golden Backs, and even the Great General the most extraordinary creatures he managed to scout
Ludmillen Vonnhoimar-Eudoxia. At the headquarters on his journeys. This popular and anticipated social af-
you can also find the Astraviya Military Hospital. fair falls during the week of Litha, as part of the Summer
Among the crown jewels of the Capitals, we can’t Festival that fills the city and surroundings with colors,
forget to mention the Zoological Garden. traveling shows, and celebrations of all kinds.

r 221 s
 OLEG PROTOPOPOLOV
VISCOUNT AND EXPERT ZOOLOGIST

“If she tries to eat you...

The
It ’s because she likes you!” Protopopolovs
Generous patron, philanthropist, zoological expert, The eccentric Marquis Pyotr Protopo-
eccentric millionaire, Oleg Protopopolov is this and polov and his wife, Marquise Bismilla
much more. His interest in household animals and are among the wealthiest faeries in the
insects has led to wonderful discoveries, as well as the Realm. It is thanks to their ufathom-
designation of more than fifty new species (mostly able fortune, that Viscount Oleg could
beetles), earning him the title of “Household Knight”. build the Zoological Garden and keep
His acquaintances describe him as a fat, enthusiastic, it flourishing. This certainly did not
and active littling, but also as extremely forgetful and help his standing with those who see
clumsy, gifted with an obsessive love for his work and him as the black bee of the family.
an often-dangerous curiosity.
The Fairy frittered away his family fortune to build
the Zoological Garden and regularly leaves for long
journeys every couple of years to find new creatures to
add to his collection.
Oleg has a poor but hyperactive sense of humor, a
childish innocence, and is all around the type of person
who needs to be protected from the world, but mostly
from himself.

In all confidence, Viscount Protopopolov’s collection

is much larger than what is put on show in his gar-
den, and even in the private section opened for special
events. His mansion has a secret passage ending in the
habitat of a centipede and leading further down to a
compartment on the underside of the Table. There he
keeps all manner of bizarre and often dangerous crea-
tures, and who knows what else.

Event:
Traveling with Protopopolov
During Chapter II, Viscount Protopopolov was
looking for someone to escort him to Downridge,
where he intended to join a caravan to reach the
Basement as soon as possible.
There, he needed to seal an important deal with
none-other than a Skullrider of the Horde. Maybe
some of your Characters was roped in by their sense of
duty or the promise of easy money and made the unfor-
tunate decision of following him on this crazy journey.

Pictured Here:
Portrait of Protopopolov
with a little Bismilla. r 222 s
 HIGHLIGHT
The Highlight district is the most important and exclu-
sive part of Astraviya. It is located on the Chandelier, the throne
or more properly, it IS the Chandelier. Only on-duty
Golden Backs and very few people at court are allowed
to fly up to the heart of the Realm, anybody else would
Room
be swiftly taken down. Inside the palace in Highlight there’s
As such, the majority of visitors have to turn to one a huge throne room, consisting of
of the most peculiar and sublime means of transporta- two long crystal arcades that span the
tion in the House: a bubble. length from the entrance to the royal
seat of the Tsarina.
Near the center of Lowlight there’s a special piece
of golden machinery consisting of a metal hoop cov- According to tradition, the many
ered in soap. After collecting the fee, attendants will titles of the Highlight sovereign are
have up to two passengers stand at the center of the declaimed as they walk the central
structure and close them in a soap bubble that will nave.
get “blown” upward by the wings of four white bee-
tles. Thanks to these colored-yet-see-through bubbles Considering the many titles of the
people may reach Highlight safely, while also taking in Tsarina Arcadia Oberonovna, and
the marvelous vista below them. What matters is that the inability of the court to dictate
they also mind the gap when their bubble reaches the the royal pace in any way, after her
port and bursts. coronation, the royal architects were
forced to add four columns to elon-
After landing on the Chandelier, people are almost gate the throne room.
blinded by the light bouncing off of every surface, and
it might take a while for their eyes to get accustomed
to the splendor. I’ve even heard of court members who,
after years spent living at the palace can’t stand coming
back down, as the world seems too dark to them! But
after the initial dazzling, there are even more surpris-
es! Navigating Highlight is almost impossible, as the
entire district is built as five concentric rings located at
different heights and only connected by crystal bridges
leading to crystal streets lined with crystal buildings.

The fact that the locals are always rushing somewhere, Anyway, if your Characters ever have the fortune to
and everyone is constantly busy working or handing visit Highlight, they’ll have to be Elegant at the very
out work certainly doesn't help. Let’s just say that, least, as it’s the most exclusive, luxurious, and import-
while wings are not required to visit Highlight, they ant place in the Household.
do make life easier. During Chapter V, you’ll have to remember that
In the smallest and highest of rings of the Chandelier Highlight is teeming with Golden Backs and the
stands the Imperial Palace, home of the Tsarina Imperial Palace is almost ironclad after the tragic
Arcadia Oberonovna. It is also the location of the of- events of the Great Yule Ball. See “Chapter V” in
ficial headquarter of the High Council, possibly the Section VIII “Saga”.
least used room in the city.

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Pictured Here:
Arcadia Oberonovna,
Tsarina of the Realm
and Ruling Empress
of the Household.

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 ARCADIA OBERONOVNA and, as such, she ages ten times more slowly than any
LIGHTHEART-EUDOXIA other littling. Useful perk for an absolute sovereign!
TSARINA OF THE REALM AND RULING
EMPRESS OF THE HOUSEHOLD Nobody in the entire Household is as loved and ad-
mired as Arcadia Oberonovna. Her subjects have a
“Today we sign a Peace that will be the end of all true devotion to her, and it’s popular knowledge that
War. We forgive that which cannot be forgotten. Arcadia has become the most common name among
We forget that which cannot the people of the Realm, for boys and girls alike.
be Forgiven”
Another example of this almost “cult” of the Tsarina,
Arcadia Oberonovna is a very determined and polite are the small postcards that have become increasingly
young woman. Her beauty and grace are held as the common gifts for sons who enlist, friends who are ill,
highest standard for everything beautiful and graceful. and as general charms for good luck.
Her porcelain skin and sugar-like hair portray an Each of the postcards portrays a different votive im-
apparent fragility in stark contrast with the vivid black age of Arcadia and has a title that sounds like “Baby
and red of her imperial wings, and with her every Arcadia”, or “Arcadia, Protector of Bees”, and even
choice as a ruler. Daughter of Tsar Oberon Eudoxia “Arcadia, Light of Justice”.
and of Titania Lightheart, little Arcadia stepped
through the Great Window with the first Faeries on As is my historical duty, I list here his titles:
the day of Beltane and grew up in a time of war and
suffering. Her Imperial Majesty.
Arcadia Astrid Kalliope Sapphyria Galatea
After the untimely passing of her mother, she chose to Andromeda Lightheart-Eudoxia of Dendronaos,
place her surname before that of the father, a gesture daughter of Oberon Trismegistus.
of great sacrifice that resonated like a crystal bell in the Tsarina of the Realm, Queen of Highlight
heart of her future subjects. and the Crystal Court, Protector of Fae, and
Ruling Empress of the Household. Ruler of the
Chandelier and the Dining Hall Table, Princess
of the Pantries and Jars, Princess of Curtains
and of the Stained Glass, Duchess of Chalices,
Duchess of Silverware, and Duchess of the
Teacups and Sugar-cubes, Marquise of the
Carpets and Tapestries, Marquise of Doors and
Handles, Marquise of the Umbrella Stand and
Silver Duck Head, Marquise of Knickknacks and
The young fairy was Empress of the Household for a Party Favors, Countess of the Fountain, Countess
time, then renounced her title and (at least on paper) of Leaves and Dewdrops, Countess of the Mirror
gave up the power she inherited from her father for the and of Face Powders, Countess of the Steps and
good of Peace. She was the first leader to champion the Banister, Countess of Busts and Tassels, Baroness
creation of a High Council where all nations could be of Inks and Inkwells, Baroness of the Tower,
represented. Today she is Tsarina of the Realm and, as Baroness of the Little Revolving World, Baroness
the so to say most honorable member of the Council, of Drawers, Baroness of Laces and Trims, Lady
Ruling Empress of the Household. of the Places Above and Below, Lady of Trophies
A necessary clarification. I often call the Tsarina and Cups, Lady of Faucets, Lady of the Tub, Lady
“young” as she appears and actually is young, but you of Perfumes and Salves, Lady of Toads, Lady of
must never forget that she is a Fairy of imperial blood Soap, and Lady of the Ivory Keys.

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the Great Window FAERIYEV
CITY OF STARS
Beyond the Table and the Highlight Chandelier Built on the inner sill of the Great Window, the most
shines the Great Window through which the first ancient city of the Realm is bright Faeriyev.
Faeries entered the House. Once a military outpost of This fae settlement was established back on the first
the winged army of invaders, today the Window is a day of Beltane, when the Tree fell, forcing the Faeries
symbol of peace and hope shining starlight over the to seek refuge inside the House. On that same sill
Realm. Oberon Trismegistus first laid eyes on the Chandelier
and, since his emblem was a crystal star, he saw that as
To climb to the Window sill you can either fly or use a sign. Before marching forth, he left the settlement
one of the special lifts, wooden platforms tied to the in the hands of his most trusted littling, Puck Stakan,
shells of two large pack snails that climb up and down who went on to establish Faeriyev and ruled over it for
hundreds of times a day and who are treated and fed years before perishing in battle on Samhain.
like royalty.
Arriving at the Great Window, you’ll be flooded with
the light of the stars or the sun and get a beautiful
view of the Garden. At night, many young lovers stroll
on the Faeriyev overlook, and they are the true
symbol of the City of Stars, but at day many
more tourists and pilgrims come in the same
place to bask in the wonders of the brightly col-
ored glass.

Despite the restrictions of the regulation plan

included in the Astraviya Treaty, the city was
allowed to substitute the panes of the Window
that had broken in the fall of the Tree. For that
operation were employed many thick panes of
sugar, all of them decorated with scenes that are
close to the heart of all Faeries, like the Exodus
from Dendronaos, the Coronation of Oberon,
or the Battle of Quillwaters.

Z
The Great Window reminds us of where we
came from and what we fight for.
Its Sugary Panes sweeten our past and color
our future.
General Valentine Du Lampe

Pictured Here:
Z
General Valentine
Du Lampe,
irreverently portrayed
as a card Joker.

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Faeriyev doesn’t have much else to offer beyond the
great touristic resources and all artistic and culinary
The Cupboard
consequences thereof, and it is widely regarded as the In the most remote region of the Dining Hall, just
best place to spend the days of your older age. However, next to the wide arch that leads into the lands of the
Duke Alexei Pukevich Stakan-Eudoxia has a reputa- Kitchen, there’s a massive, majestic Cupboard standing
tion as an extremely skilled duelist and has repeatedly in the shadows like an austere giant made of wood and
demonstrated his prowess with the pin. He is the one dishware.
who sponsors the marvelous Fencing Tournament Embodiment of the rigor and efficiency of the
that takes place in the week of Beltane, also offering Realm, the Cupboard is strictly tied to the myth
hundreds of crystals to the winners in all categories. surrounding the Great Imperial Army, as it hosts the
During those days the entire city is decorated for the prestigious Army Academy, as well as the residence of
occasion. Each street, alley, and shop transforms into many nobles of the brass.
a hostel for the many contenders and spectators that
come from all corners of the House and bring a funda-
mental influx to local economy.
UNTER
UNDERBOARD
If you exclude the smaller settlements near the
Inbetweens or beneath the Table, the town of Unter is
the poorest in the Realm. It is located on the bottom
shelf of the Cupboard and, despite being effectively
part of Glasburg and falling under the same jurisdic-
tion, has been largely left to its means.
There are no checkpoints to enter, and after stepping
into the city, you find yourself in a vast space that is
During Chapter I, the Faeriyev Tournament is still left dark and cut off from the light from the Great
shamefully arrogated by Fae nobles, however already Window.
in Chapter II, registration was open to everyone,
causing some grumbles by a percentage of the event The city once had a flourishing economy, as it was an
aficionados. important trading post with access to the Piping.
You see, through a hole in the inner wall of the
Cupboard you can step into the Inbetweens and reach
Event: a thick Pipe with a hole, where all manner of goods
The Faeriyev Tournament from the port in Tuberdam arrive into the Realm.
The edition of this tournament that took place
during Chapter IIII was especially entertaining, so Today, this Pipe is only a minor post and has practically
much so that the Duke decided to present the winner fallen out of use because, after its recovery, the Kitchen
with both an invite to the Great Yule Ball in Tournoire, has become the main port for the Realm. Sadly, many
and an ornate dueling pin by the name of Nova: a of the workers and delivery people that moved to the
weapon with the guard made of extremely durable city with their families are now jobless and forced to
crystal that shines bright as a star. live on the verge of misery.
Who knows, maybe your Characters were there to
assist, or even take part in this important competition.

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 Event: Thanks to this feature, Glasburg can boast an incred-
The Earwig Invasion ible view on par with the one in Astraviya, but also
In Chapter II, the growth of a large water stain on an aptitude to attract and conserve sunlight, making it
the inside wall of the Cupboard reached a critical lev- comfortable, bright, and warm year-round.
el and caused structural damage, as well as injuring
dozens of littlings. The subsequent collapse opened the Teller pubs are famous throughout the House for their
way for a veritable invasion of earwigs, that tormented great variety of strong and fine ales, often served with
the city for days on end. the best mushrooms imported every day through the
ports in the Kitchen and Unter.
On the week of Lughnasadh, the city wears gold and
The main concern for people in Unter is the many becomes one huge drinking festival, where the usually
criminal organizations, undisputed rulers of the strict atmosphere of the city is overcome by the tradi-
city. For years, the gangs of Hugo Pilz the Fairy, tional clothes and songs of the people.
Kolter Klinge the Sluagh, and Johanna “Jo” Röte the
Salamander have been fighting to control the three Up on the highest Shelf of Teller there’s the mansion
neighborhoods and related illicit trades. of the Duke of the Cupboard, the imperial Fairy Victor
As for the Royal Gendarmerie, I can’t say they aren’t Küchenschrank Von Glasburg, a littling of few words,
trying their best to keep the situation under control, but but a sharp strategist and invaluable touchstone for the
it seems clear that the task is far beyond their means, Great Imperial Army.
and the iron fist approach of the Duke of Glasburg Next to his mansion there’s also the old laboratory of
isn’t helping. Fabergé, now managed by a group of competent schol-
ars chosen among his best students after he moved
to the Piano. Here Faeries may regenerate their torn
wings much like in the clinic in Mount Guignol.
GLASBURG
THE GLAZED CITY Tassen East is where you can find the residences of
Glasburg is a charming city built in the glazed sec- most of the high brass of the Great Imperial Army,
tion of the Cupboard and structured on three levels as well as many Captains of the Golden Backs, while
connected by two wooden staircases on the middle Tassen West on the other hand is the home of the Royal
shelf. To reach the city you have to either pass through Army Academy, where young soldiers are trained every
Unter and climb up the stairs located in the decontam- day to make their nation proud.
inated Inbetweens or obtain the necessary permits to
land with the exclusive carriages pulled by beetles that Life at the Academy is incredibly tough, and the close
take off from Astraviya. quarters the cadets live in are fertile grounds for equal
amounts of camaraderie and hazing. Day after day,
Glasburg is divided into three vertical sections: the the young littlings have to face grueling training or
central one is wider and known as Teller, while the veritable survival tests, and sometimes they get sent on
two lateral wings are called Tassen West and Tassen missions in the nearby regions even before graduating
East respectively. Each of the three sections is further and getting deployed to their post in the House.
divided into three shelves, each connected by staircases At night, you often find many of them partying in
made of wood and porcelain. Teller, but considering the tough life ahead, one can
Teller, the largest neighborhood, is mainly populat- forgive them the ruckus.
ed with houses, restaurants, hotels, and everything else
you’d expect in a normal town, except for the fact that
by just turning toward the glass panes of the Cupboard,
you can see the entire Realm.

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 On the right:
Two soldiers of the Great Imperial
Army on patrol in Glasburg.

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r 230 s
 Pictured Here:
The vast Carpet Plains welcome us into
the Living Room.

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 Living Room

The Living Room is conserved almost in its original which mark local festivities. The most famous among
state by the constant work and zeal of good Boggarts. them are certainly the shires of the Hearth, sturdy
Covered in a shade of nostalgia, it inspires calm like no blond mice bred to be trusty steeds for any littling,
other Room can. and strong enough to pull entire carriages like the one
traveling every day over the Banister from the Ground
Home of the Hearth and hard-earned promised land Floor to the Upper Floor.
of the Boggarts, the Living Room reminds every lit-
tling of simpler times, before War and Peace, with The life of a mousehand is clearly not for everyone,
rural settlements and wide plains for lone heroes. the work is hard, and you’re constantly surrounded by
dust and mice. Locals are endlessly amused with the
reaction of outsiders who are too used to the cleanli-
ness and com-forts of a city. Despite that, the region

Stairside counts several hotel facilities, as well as dens for hunt-

ers and explorers, always ready to set off for the Upper
Floor or to face the grueling journey through the Long
Alongside the Great Stairs runs a series of ranches Hallway and to the Basement.
and farms managed by littlings of the Hearth. It’s an Afterall, Stairside is the last bastion of civilization
articulated system of tall houses, stables, and paddocks separating the Entry Hall and the Short Hallway, an
which have by now grown into a self-sufficient town. almost compulsory stop for all littlings and caravans
The rural landscape of this timeless place is often passing through this region.
depicted on postcards from the Hearth, second in
beauty and fame only to the Fireplace. There are many regulars who come here every year,
they always stay in the same hotel or with the same
Here, among the wooden fences, you can admire mice family, to enjoy the quiet country life for a couple days,
of every type and size as they get skillfully cared for and drink milk straight from the mouse, and savor typical
trained, until they are ready to be exported to all the dishes like the mush-room casserole.
corners of the House or take part in the great rodeos

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 Event: To the less picky travelers I recommend Molly’s
The Centennial Rodeo tavern, where a big Undine woman mothers all trav-
During Chapter IIII, to celebrate the centennial of elers, mousehands, and hunters coming through. Her
the Master’s disappearance the Hearth organized a maggot skewers are the stuff of legends throughout the
great event for all mouse lovers. For the entire month Hearth, just what you need after a long day on the road
of Imbolc, Stairside was filled with littlings from every or before a long hunting trip.
nation, there to take part or spectate the many speed
races, obstacle courses, and especially the biggest rodeo During Chapter III, another burly Undine, a man
event in Household history. named Thaddeus, began helping Molly with the tav-
I don’t really understand much about sport, so don’t ern. He was a hot-tempered littling who proved to be
ask me who won the competition. The one thing I less than patient when clients wouldn’t stop asking
know for certain is the winner went home significantly questions. In the end, it turned out he was an alleged
richer, and with a thoroughbred mouse, said to have criminal escaped from Deepdown.
a lustrous white coat and a terrible temperament, but
also known as the fastest steed ever seen.
In all confidence, we know so little about the winner
that I’m inclined to think that they weren’t from the THE CARPET PLAINS
area and locals weren’t much pleased with the fact. A After leaving Doorkeep you’ll need to walk for about
friend even said there were rowdy brawls caused by two days to reach Chesterfield by-the-fire or three
alleged irregularities in the competition, which could to reach Pinewood Forest, and you’ll have to travel
have even included a sabotage (although I couldn’t say through the great Carpet Plains.
against whom). Still, with the way people are, these are These colored expanses covered in dust hide sev-
probably tall tales made up by disgruntled grouches. eral dangers, especially for unsuspecting foreigners.
Roaches, earwigs, even some common spiders or cen-
tipedes, that occasionally pounce from the tufts and
out of the holes in the wallpaper. It’s a true infestation,
DOORKEEP apparently impossible to eradicate. The creatures are
FRONTIER OF THE HEARTH especially active after nightfall, and around here dark-
Opposite to the farmlands of Stairside, there’s the ness comes much sooner than in any other Room of
Open Threshold which leads in the Living Room. This the House, as the Cracked Window only lets in very
military outpost, entirely made of wood the Boggarts little light in the last hours of the day, and the Yule
brought back from the Beech in the Outhold, was built Tree further hides most of it.
during the First Household War and has now become As if that wasn’t enough, the bandit attacks around
the inner frontier to the Hearth. here have grown in frequency after the frontiers
Littlings of the Hearth’s Army stand watch at the opened, and wherever you visit, people will recom-
customhouse in Doorkeep, scrupulously checking all mend you to trust nobody you meet on the road.
littlings and caravans passing through each day. Their
greatest worry is contraband of illegal weapons coming For those who know where to look, there are several
from the Horde or the Free Dominions, which could spots to gather mushrooms and molds of all kinds, as
well reach Wallford city or Chesterfield by-the-fire if they grow in small groves throughout the plains.
they aren’t seized. Bear in mind, however, that one of these thick groves
is said to house the gang of Duncan Rox, the Fairy.
After custom control, you enter a small border town The group of Boggarts and Sluagh deserters have been
with very little in terms of attractions, a place made attacking hunters on the way back from Pinewood for
mostly to rest for the night, drink and eat. many years, trying to steal the hides and husks they

r 233 s
gathered with much effort to re-sell them to corrupt
soldiers at Doorkeep. Sooner or later, anyway, they too
were destined to face justice.

Event:
Duncan Rox’s Gang
Duncan Rox was a fairy with many brave and dan-
gerous littlings at his command, littlings who felt noth-
ing but pure admirations for him. Together, this gang
of outlaws managed to score many hits against the
Hearth, ultimately catching the attention of the army.
Around Chapter III, an actual bounty was placed on
Rox and his gang, and many rushed to search for him.
But if you believe the rumors, it seems that Duncan
was more than a simple criminal. Some state, always
under their breath, that he was even a hero.

the
Yule Tree
The toppled tree located right in the middle of the
Living Room can be seen from every place in the
Hearth, looming threateningly against the light from
the Cracked Window.
There was a time when its branches were decorated
with huge spheres painted with strange motifs and
with the same lights that were later donated to the Pictured Here:
Sprites and brought back to life by Wise Paracelsus to A postcard f rom
illuminate Beddingham. Pinewood forest.

When that happens, all it takes is one foot out of

PINEWOOD place to end up falling for dozens of tiny meters into a
GREENWOOD FOREST tangle of needles or a spiderweb.
Inside the Yule Tree stands a tangled forest, known in
Housian as Pinewood Forest, a place as beautiful as it Hunters and explorers risk venturing into this forest
is deadly. as it is home to many fungi and molds, as well as to
Littlings venturing into its ever-green branches that spiders, centipedes, and various beetles. These are ex-
all look alike and climbing up and down in the twilight tremely precious creatures, and here they can be hunt-
risk losing their bearings, and even the sense of height. ed more or less without limits by anyone with the right
permits and the skills to make it back home.

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 DREADWOOD
Heading further toward the Cracked Window you’ll
The Sofa
notice that the forest slowly changes in color, becom- Turning your back to old Doorkeep, regardless of if
ing increasingly bristly and white. you want to reach the Hearth capital, pay your respects
This spectral region is constantly steeped in a terrible to the Master at the Fireplace Hollow, or spend a quiet
fog rising from a specific type of cinder-colored mold, holiday in the rural County of the Bookshelf, you’ll
which turns the air toxic and can cause any number of have to make a stop at the Master’s Sofa.
ailments.
It’s no wonder everyone calls this region Dreadwood It is a key crossing point, a bastion of old leather that
and only master hunters and veteran soldiers dare en- stands in the middle of the Living Room and, in-be-
ter here. Amid the graying needles of this place, you tween its feet, there’s the lively town of Chesterfield
can find rare and precious mushroom, but be careful, by-the-fire.
as several wolf spiders roam here, and their dull coats
match the surrounding flora near perfectly, making
them almost invisible until it’s already too late.
CHESTERFIELD BY-THE-FIRE
The city of Chesterfield by-the-fire is named after the
Master’s Sofa under which it was built. Despite being
THE FOG GIANT the youngest city in the Hearth, its lively economy is
The true terror of Dreadwood, however, is the Fog flourishing to the point it quickly became both the geo-
Giant, a huge creature, always hungry and always graphical heart of the nation and the most sought-after
hunting. destination by young littlings of the Hearth.
Hunters everywhere tell stories and legends about
how this strange creature came here, and and about the Chesterfield is already a sprawling city, and it’s still
growing number of its victims over the years. growing, with new homes, shops, and artisans’ work-
Some even say that it gobbled up an entire squadron shops being built by the skilled carpenters of the re-
of Fairy scouts during the First Household War, and gion with wood from the Yule Tree.
someone else even brags about finding what was left of
them before turning tail. Stepping into town, you’ll probably feel as if you’ve
just entered the longest queue, as you’ll be surround-
In all confidence, it turned out that the Fog Giant ed by the bustling traffic of caravans coming in from
was a terrible Net Casting Spider, a beast who can lay Doorkeep to unload their wares before quickly hitting
traps worthy of the finest general and strike with the the road again.
strength of a hundred littlings. Ultimately, someone
managed to put an end to the monster, bringing its After the initial wall of littlings, the city becomes
trophy back to Wallford, where I had a chance to in- quieter, but it still remains lively, with a rich scene of
spect it myself. public events and shows and many young littlings,
I don’t know the name of the brave littling, but mostly students. At night, as the light of the Fireplace
they say the Giant even offered them a Neverheard warms up the city in a perennial sunset, the streets and
Contract in exchange for its life! Not falling into inns get filled with littlings of all ages and Folks in a
temptation earned them a ceremonial keysket worthy triumph of chatter.
of a master hunter, an incredibly fine weapon with the All this would have never been possible without the
bow made in the shape of a stylized spider and the tireless work of Professor Noam Flanagan, the current
barrel finely inlaid with spiderweb motifs and a single Mayor and Rector of the local university.
word in Hearthish: “Spiderbane”.

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The students at the University of Chesterfield by- PROF. NOAM FLANAGAN
the-fire are spirited young littlings, and their fervent MAYOR OF CHESTERFIELD BY-THE-FIRE
enthusiasm embodies the future of the Hearth.
In these years of great social and cultural turmoil, “We are all someone else’s ingredient”
their vivid interest in politics in the country animates
many associations and taverns, giving birth to some Professor Flanagan is an extremely smart Salamander
of the most important ideological revolutions of the who, in a few short years, managed to break through
Household. Boggart prejudices and become more than accepted by
them, being elected as Mayor of Chesterfield by-the-
These are the years when the Chesterfield Universites fire and Rector of the local University.
is the point of origin for several movement and ac-
tivist groups that will start a true social struggle, with Before his political career, the professor stood out as
demonstrations, sit-ins, and the odd act of vandalism an excellent gourmet, who had worked as personal chef
to show their stance against the excessive power of the for the Tsarina Arcadia Oberonovna in the palace in
Army and of Governor Bravespine. Highlight, before moving away to teach culinary arts
in the young and promising city under the Sofa.

You’ll often see him walking the corridors in-between

classes, or walking through the city to cover the dis-
tance between city hall and the university, usually fol-
lowed by some of his beloved students imitating the
syncopated rhythm of his short thin legs.
To complete the portrait of a reserved and eccentric
littling, there’s a disheveled head of red hair and an
unkempt mustache, that make him look likable rather
than authoritative.
He truly is a littling like no other in the House,
moved by a boundless passion for his work and a great
hope for younger generations, as well as by a desperate
feeling of trust in others.

During Chapter I he was often seen with a fellow named

Jacob, a handsome Boggart with little sense in his head,
who didn’t deserve to work as Flanagan’s assistant.
From Chapter II, after the young fellow left, the pro-
fessor had to look for a new assistant willing to head
into Pinewood to gather this or that ingredient for his
new amazing recipes.
Before Chapter III or IIII no one would ever even
think about using the shell of an adult spurred centi-
pede to make a sublime bisque. We owe that discovery
to professor Flanagan and his assistants!

Any littling who helped him achieve such important

Pictured Here: discoveries certainly earned the honor to carry his bags
Prof. Noam Flanagan, great gourmand and at the Great Yule Ball in the beginning of Chapter V.
Mayor of Chesterfield by-the-fire.

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 the Bookshelf THE FEUD BETWEEN
LOCKWOOD AND FLAMMEL
Opposite to the frontier of the Living Room, nestled The boggarts of the Lockwood family and the sala-
between the warmth of the Fireplace Hollow and the manders of the Flammel family are among the best
wild lands of Carpetshire, there stands the Bookshelf, hunters in Bookshire. These littlings have proved their
with the Book Stairs leading up to it. skills on several occasions, venturing into the depths
of the Inbetweens and returning home laden with the
bodies of chalky centipedes and wolf spiders as if they
had left to pick chamomelles.
BOOKSHIRE Many years ago, however, a catastrophe struck, start-
As I write this book, I am sitting in my comfort- ing a feud between the families that still goes on to this
able chair in the study of my quaint little home in day. They say Jebediah Lockwood had a rich collection
Bookshire, and I couldn’t be happier. of heavy keyskets, a model he was a firm supporter of.
Even back in the time of these events, the town on Leroy Flammel, on the other hand, always stated that
the Shelf was perfectly pastoral, steeped in the classic long keyskets were superior, and decided to gift one of
atmosphere of old-fashioned country folk. those to the other on his birthday.
To climb up to Bookshire, the good littlings of Herein lies the problem. Because on one side,
the Hearth created a long set of panoramic stairs by Flammel maintains the present was an earnest one,
painstakingly stacking the Master’s Books. This is a saying his intention was to broaden the horizon of
perfect example of non-destructive architecture, which his boggart friend. Lockwood on the other feels as if
allowed even Boggarts to build a beautiful town high the Salamander was clearly making him the butt of a
above the Floor level. mean joke, if not even openly offending him. The fact
After reaching the Shelf, you can’t help but bask in remains that Jebediah broke the present over Leroy’s
the endless calm of this place, breathing in the good head, and the rest is History.
mountain air. Once you’ve set down your luggage,
you can find sometime between a hearty lunch and a
generous snack, to enjoy a book from the wonderfully Event:
rich library of the local University, or set off on an ex- The Keysket Feud
cursion, perhaps even go spelunking in the reclaimed It is my understanding that the good littlings of
Inbetweens. Bookshire did their best to not take sides in this feud,
as during Chapter I and II the two parts involved had
In the dark, damp recesses of the Inbetweens, littlings begun harassing foreigners, offering gifts to any who
grow all the mushrooms and molds that became pride would carry out this or that stunt on the other. The
and symbol of the town, as well as its main economic situation quickly went out of hand, and both littlings
resource. During the week of Lughnasadh all citizens found they had given up something they would rather
of Bookshire gather to cooperate for the yearly harvest, not have parted with.
and they say that one year, a fellow named Oliver even Lockwood had given a stranger a handful of coins,
found a mushroom as big as a beetle. but one of them was mistakingly minted with the
After the harvest, everyone wears traditional clothing profile of Oberon on one side and the crest of the Free
(molds belted about the waist for men, long skirts and Dominions on the other. This coin could fetch quite the
mushroom hats for women) and goes off to feast and sum, if handed back to the Rosevault Mint, and even
dance at the Fungal Ball, in spite of all those who com- more on the black market in Beddingham. Flammel, on
plain about how nothing ever happens in Bookshire the other hand, gave away a simple bag of mushrooms,
and that it’s a place only good if you’re old or sick! only to realize that a rare coral fungus had been mixed
up with the others. The Alchemical reagent could be
worth a small fortune if one can find the right buyer.

r 237 s
 Wallford And when I say “unbelievable” I do mean literally. I,
for one, don’t believe a word of them!
Beyond the Sofa, right next to the Fireplace Hollow, the
most keen-eyed of you will notice a hole in the Wall. Anyway, in those pubs and taverns, it’s just as easy to
Anyone new to the Living Room might automatically stumble into useful information, find a table to gamble,
think this is an entry to the dangerous Inbetweens of or end up in a massive brawl.
the House, but that’s not the case. Actually, this leads Whenever the door opens to reveal one of the many
to the reclaimed halls that the Boggart folk have can- hunters so dear to locals, the crowd will go crazy, but
didly and lovingly named The Burrow. if the person stepping in is a foreigner, they will all go
terribly quiet and stare suspiciously at the newcomer.
The name was changed to Wallford after the First These situations don’t always end up for the better,
Household War, as before that time, the city was especially if someone wants to stir up trouble.
known simply as Wall Fort in Hearthish, for obvious If nothing else, remember this: you don’t want to end
reasons. This Boggart fortress was founded over the up in the bad books of a hunter from the biggest dens
skeleton of an ancient city dating back to many years of the city, as they are revered as heroes by locals.
before the Master’s disappearance, which was in turn These littlings, hardened by a life spent in the wilds,
also built inside the Burrow of a family of huge mice. often develop the unpleasant belief of being above all
Today, the Hearth capital is also the largest and most rules. It doesn’t help that they have friends in many
populated city in the nation. places, and that many (though not all) sheriffs are will-
ing to turn a blind eye when it comes to them.
To enter Wallford, you have to pass under the care-
ful gaze of Hearthish soldiers and through an arch As you head further into the Wall, the city turns dark-
only wide enough for two caravans side by side. The er and less patrolled by soldiers. Here, in the most
controls here aren’t necessarily a road block, but sol- run-down areas of the city, you’ll find the access to
diers do sometimes check on the documents of sus- the Piping which is both the hub where goods from
picious-looking individuals or carriages with a lot of Tuberdam are brought in and the home to the rapidly
wares. expanding ring of organized crime.
After the bottleneck, the city suddenly opens up It appears as if all criminals in Wallford answer to
into a large hole in the Wall next to the Fireplace, one Boggart, a burly man with a couple missing teeth
practically a big stretch of reclaimed Inbetweens. The known as Topper. During Chapter I and II he was
main roads here are wide and well-traveled, lined with busy gathering recruits to do odd-jobs for him.
wooden buildings containing shops and inns, and In all confidence, History showed us soon enough
always crowded with littlings who come and go with that Topper was nothing more than a puppet in the
their mice or snails. hands of a true criminal genius.

The capital is large enough to host a prestigious

University, as well as a Fencing Academy passing on Historical Event:
the art of the smaller half-scissor, and a true Hospital The Heist of the Century
with nothing to envy to the modern structures of the Those with ties to the local crime scene during
Free Dominions. Chapter IIII may have had a chance to meet the
Roaming between pubs and taverns it’s easy to stum- elusive Ferguson Fole, a Sylph who was equal parts
ble into one of the many trophies by local hunters and elegant, mysterious, ruthless, and violent. At the time,
hear unbelievable stories like that of Button, who took he was planning one of the most cunning and expertly
down a wolf spider with bare hands, or the tale of old carried out hits in Household history: a great heist
Hardy, who managed to put a bullet between the eyes targeting the Rosevault Mint.
of a centipede from two-hundred tiny meters away. See “Chapter IIII” in Section VIII “Saga”.

On the right:
r 238 s The beautiful Wallford, capital of the Hearth.
 THE DEADMOUSE DEN PEPPERMINT MULLIGAM
The Deadmouse Den was certainly one of the most LEADER OF THE DEADMOUSE DEN
important hunters’ dens in Wallford. To become part
of this elite group, fearless hunters must face many “The more legs they have, the more
trials before they can earn the mouse skull patch that comically they fall!”
represents the den and is practically an all-access pass
to a life of honors. Penelope “Peppermint ” Mulligam is a young, athletic
The Deadmouse Den is located not far from the Boggart woman with short dark hair. Anytime her
doors of Wallford, just next to a historical keysket shop name is spoken, people seem to get incredibly scared,
where, other than a window full of amazing weapons, and there is no littling in town who would want her
hunters old and new can always find assistance. as an enemy. It’s unclear how she earned this repu-
tation of a ruthless hunter, but it’s clear that today
Simply walking by the Den, you’ll be faced with a small nobody would dare speak up against her, not even in
crowd of littlings frowning rudely at any passerby, and her absence.
if you step inside, you’ll be immediately surrounded by She likes to scare the newbies who come to the den
the most variegated crowd as well as by an abundance to bother her, putting up an extremely serious and cold
of hunting trophies. front which is really not her. But if you catch her eye,
Peppermint becomes an easy going, somewhat rude
The leader of the den is Peppermint Mulligam, and littling, who enjoys getting a laugh at someone else’s
she is always on the lookout for young littlings eager expense and has a terrible sense of humor.
to put their skills to the test. Many seek her out, but far Her littlings love her because she always knows how
fewer manage to catch her attention, and fewer still are to have fun, and she always turns anything into a colos-
able, after months or years of apprenticeship, to earn sal competition. With “the Boss”, as they call her, every
the coveted Deadmouse insignia. dram becomes a drinking contest that only ends with
one littling standing, every snack becomes a feast, and
every friendly pat on the shoulder becomes a brawl.

r 239 s
If your Characters ever meet her, she will certainly BRAVESPINE
leave an impression! WILLIAM HEARTHWORTH JR. -
In all confidence, Peppermint sometimes gets car- HEARTHKEEPER
ried away, and she ends up laughing at people who
come asking for her help, or those looking to enter the “For the Master is Big,
Deadmouse Den. These poor newbies sometimes end and these are such small matters”
up becoming victims of terrible practical jokes which
include being blindfolded and left naked in a town William Hearthworth Jr. is just a youngster, but on
square, or even being abandoned in Dreadwood with his shoulders rest the hopes and worries of the entire
a pack of spiders. You know, things to die of laughter. Hearth and of the Boggart Folk.
On top of having a seat on the High Council,
the young man has the honor and burden of being
Governor of the Hearth and Grand General of the
Hearth’s Army.

During the First Household War he stood out for his

prowess in battle and unparalleled strength inherited
from Big Ben Hearthworth, his great-grandfather and
the last servant of the Master before his disappearance.
Throughout the entire conflict, Willian Hearthworth
always fought on the frontlines, riding a one-of-a-
kind steed: his trusty hedgehog. His fierce pride and
his unique mount earned him the battle name of
“Bravespine”, which we remember to this day. But
there was a time when his enemies decided to strike
him with the lowest of blows.

After sneaking into the camp one night, the

assassins killed the hedgehog in its sleep,
displaying its head on a key, as you do with
military banners.
That day, good Bravespine took the re-
mains of his friend and fashioned the iconic
quill cloak he still wears to this day, a
message to his opponents: they would
never stab him in the back again.
Two days later he faced the
assassins, defeating them

Pictured Here:
Young Bravespine with
his legendary cloak
of quills.

r 240 s
with his strong soldiers. Those who surrendered
were taken prisoners and treated fairly, as that was
Bravespine’s way and he was a Boggart from another the
era, who knew nothing but war but understood the
value of compassion. Hearthworth
Family
The forefather of the Hearthworth
family is the famous Benjamin also
known as Big Ben. The same littling
who noticed the Master’s disappearance
on the first Imbolc day.
After valiantly falling in battle after the
Despite the fact that the youngster is very dear to his Great Betrayal, Big Ben left the Boggarts
folk, like his father before him, and that he was even in the hands of his son, William.
nominated leader of the Hearth by public acclamation,
many doubt his ability to rule. The Astraviya Treaty Still young, William Hearthworth led his
goes against many historical Boggart traditions, and Folk during their exile in the Outhold
the excessive familiarity between Bravespine and and founded Bramble Town. Later on,
Arcadia’s court gave birth to several rumors and doubts history will remember him as Walnut,
about his loyalty to the Boggart cause. Others believe because he was a hardheaded littling
the handsome young littling to be extremely honorable with an indomitable spirit.
and driven, but far too naive to stand up against the
cunning and intrigues of other national leaders, first After Walnut passed, the Boggarts
and foremost Wise Paracelsus. turned to his son B.W. Hearthworth,
A good half of the littlings in the Hearth would who managed to lead them back into
rather see Bravespine’s charge go to Edward Ashworth, the House and signed the much yearned
First Knight of the Cinder Order, a littling whose leg- for Restoration Pact. Sadly, this Boggart
end burns as bright as the flames in the Fireplace. never lived to see the nation he bravely
fought for reestablished, and this is why
As is my historical duty, I list here his titles: he was nicknamed Lackland.
William “Bravespine” Hearthworth Jr.
Finally, after the death of Lackland, the
First among Boggarts, Hearthkeeper,
title of Hearthkeeper passed onto his
and Lord of the Living Room
son William Jr., the valiant Bravespine.
Honorary Knight of the Cinder Order
And for this reason, to this day some
Grand General of the Hearth’s Army and General
of the Imperial Army, Lord of the Living Room, people say “Hearthworth is dead, long
the Fireplace Hollow, and the Sofa, Lord of live Hearthworth”.
Greenwood and Dreadwood, Grand Master of the
Gamekeepers, Utmost Protector of the
Master’s Seat.

r 241 s
 The Fireplace
There’s a place in the Hearth which is very dear to
the heart of all Boggarts: the Master’s Fireplace. Many
come to its Steps almost as if in pilgrimage, especially
during the festivities of Imbolc and Mabon, bringing
offerings of all types to quench the hunger of the
Household Fire.

CINDERHALL
The town of Cinderhall was built just next to the last
Step to the Fireplace. There isn’t much here, other than
beds and comforts for travelers. This place beyond time
is covered in a thick layer of ash brought here by the
wind that blows from the Hollow, and anyone visiting
will certainly end up just as gray.

Turning your eyes up to the Cast Iron Gates, a wave of

heat will wash over you, turning the air dry and thick.
In the shadow of that threatening doorway there’s
an ashen beach where Boggarts leave their offerings,
as very few are ever granted access to the inner city. In this scorching place Knights undergo their initi-
Every day at sundown, a pair of monks dressed in black ation, emerging from it covered in a thick ash harder
emerges from the Hollow to gather the gifts and bring than metal, which will later be etched and chiseled into
them to the Fire’s mouth. They never utter a word and wonderful armor by the armorer monks.
never stop. Visitors are never allowed to descend to the Fire, but
they may look upon it from afar, staying on the tall
Beyond the Gates stands the real Cinderhall, home to black bridge that stretches across the Hollow.
the Knights of the Cinder Order. These brave Boggarts
are warrior monks who dedicate their life to protecting
the Hearth and, as a consequence of their Contract Event:
with the Household Fire, are bound to never leave the The Sunset Devil
Living Room. During Chapter IIII, the Grim Knight granted ac-
To enter the city, you’ll need to sign a Kindled cess to Cinderhall to a group of littlings, each worthy
Welcoming Contract, which can only be offered by the in their own merit, and handed them a ring with the
Knights of the Order and allows visitors to enter with- Order’s crest as well as a mission: to kill Xerxes, the
out being consumed by the embers of the Household Sunset Devil.
Fire (See Section V “Contracts”). To do so, they had to descend to the Basement,
Once through the Gate, the Fireplace Hollow is tall travel the lands of the Horde, and cross the Kashab
and dark, and the metallic structure of the city looks Desert to find the beast’s lair. Whoever succeeded was
like a cage hanging over the embers. The walls and appropriately rewarded with a Cinder Greatscissor,
floors are extremely hot, covered in a layer of greasy a ceremonial weapon sure to bring to its owner the
soot, and the temperature grows steadily as you head respect and admiration of all Hearth citizens.
toward the mouth of the Household Fire.

Above: The town of Cinderhall.

On the right: Sir Edward
Ashworth, the Grim Knight. r 242 s
 EDWARD ASHWORTH Still young was he, the Grim Knight, as he bowed
THE GRIM KNIGHT on pale embers. He said:
You, all-burning and all-yearning, you who warm
“I gave my word” up the old and light up the night, take my rage,
my love, and passion. I have naught but my fire, to
Sir Edward Ashworth is one of the oldest Boggarts bolster your memory.”
in the Household, if not the oldest. Nevertheless, he
is still as tall and muscular as ever. You would never
guess his real age, if not for his stark white hair. The
few who have met him, describe him as a somber lit-
tling, completely surrounded by an aura of great
sadness emanating from his eyes
Many littlings would want him, and not
Grand General Bravespine, to be the leader of
the Hearth, but the Grim Knight’s loyalty toward
the Hearthworth family is unwavering.

Edward fought side by side with Benjamin

W. Hearthworth, Bravespine’s father, during
the First Household War, and proved himself
a skilled strategist and soldier.
When Boggarts finally were allowed back into the
Living Room, it took several days of fighting against
spiders and centipedes before they could reach the
Fireplace to renew their Contract and reaffirm their
commitment to keep the House safe. But when they
finally managed to reach the Hollow, they discovered
the Fire had fallen ill and was dying.

As an entire Folk mourned, Benjamin broke the si-

lence, ordering that the wood they had so painfully
brought in from the Beech in the Garden be tossed
on the embers. But it was all for naught, as the Fire
needs more than wood to survive, it needs the feeling
of home and family which the House never had since
the Master’s disappearance. And so good Ashworth
bid farewell to his friends and left to speak with the
Fire.
Nobody knows what really happened on that day,
but the Household Fire survived, and the Knight was
never the same. An old Boggart epic goes:

“And when the last warmth had set over our

Hearth, beyond the stone Steps, and between the
flames, and in the flames, we saw him go with
heavy step, as toward a f riend’s deathbed.

r 243 s
r 244 s
 Pictured Here:
The Master Bedroom, one of the
beautiful Rooms of the Upper Floor.

r 245 s
 The Upper
Floor

The Ground Floor of the House is huge, but you just Many explorers and alchemists venture here to
need to climb up the steep mountain range known as search for plants with all manner of properties. The
the Great Stairs to reach the Upper Floor and see that region abounds with mushrooms and mold of all kinds,
it is, unsurprisingly I’m sure, just as vast. from the most common, to the rarest.
It is the land of the Free Dominions, proud nation Hunters also often frequent the Thicket, either to
founded by Sprites. search for centipede or beetles lairs, or to escort the
aforementioned mushroom gatherers.

the Top Hallway the Master

Turning your back to the Great Stairs and leaving
Topridge, you’ll soon find yourself basking in the cold
twilight of the Top Hallway. This is one of the busi-
Bedroom
est crossroads in the House, with merchant caravans Once you reach the Blue Threshold, you can enter the
heading every which way. Left, to the Threshold to Master Bedroom without any further custom controls.
the Bathroom, right, to the one leading to the Master
Bedroom. The restrictive Regulation Plan dictated by the Astraviya
In the central region of the Top Hallway, the ground Treaty forced the Symposium to undertake drastic mea-
has deteriorated due to a leak and over time sprouted a sures to reduce unnecessary buildings and encourage the
veritable forest of tall mushrooms. development of larger cities and industries.
This led to the dismantling of the customhouses sit-
uated at every Threshold on the Upper Floor, but also
to harsher controls by the Porcelain Army on all those
THE MUSHROOM THICKET leaving Topridge.
The Mushroom Thicket is one of the main reserves
of the Free Dominions, ranging from the Master After entering the Master Bedroom, you can look up on
Bedroom to the Smaller Bedroom. Once inside, you the amazing Vanity upon which stands Rosevault city,
can’t even see the Ceiling through the caps, and you’ll but your eyes will surely be caught by the Grandfather
have to be very careful not to lose your bearings in the Clock standing in the opposite corner of the Room,
maze of tall mushroom stems and mold bushes. with a face glowing like a lighthouse.

r 246 s
 From the Threshold, you’ll need two days to reach
Rosevault on foot, and up to three to reach the capital
under the Bed.
On both paths, most of the road is carved from the
Blue Carpet, a wild expanse under constant supervision
of the fine soldiers of the Porcelain Army, only sparsely
punctuated with small groves of wild mushrooms.

BEDDINGHAM
CAPITAL OF THE FREE DOMINIONS
Located under the Bed, the capital of the Free
Dominions is the largest city in the entire House, as
well as one of the oldest. The main distinctive fea-
ture of Beddingham is the fact that it is the only city
with a large net of artificial lighting, all powered by
a wondrous invention of Wise Paracelsus. The col-
ored spheres of glass winding around the Slats come
straight from the Yule Tree in the Living Room.
They were a given to the Sprite by none other than
Big Ben Hearthworth after the truce we still celebrate
on the night of December 24th.

It’s extremely easy to get lost in the many alleys of

Beddingham, but it’s just as pleasant, as it allows you
to peruse the many market stalls and little shops that
compose this colored bazaar of a city.
Here, littlings of every Folk gather in the various
cafés, exchanging opinions about politics, current
events, and theatrical or musical plays they have attend- Event:
ed. This heterogeneous melting-pot is the foundation The Queen and the Boggart
of the bustling social life of the capital, and has gener- During Chapter II, the Royal Theater hosted a play
ated numerous artistic and stylistic currents, also con- with the cryptic title “The Queen and the Boggart”,
tributing to the general perception that Beddingham is which many interpreted as a hint to a possible love
a lively place, perfect for young littlings, students, and story between the Tsarina Arcadia Oberonovna and
all those who want to make a difference in the House. Bravespine, the Hearthkeeper. To further complicate
matters, the director decided to give the role of the
I cannot fail to mention the many theaters of all sizes. Boggart protagonist to a Sluagh from Dasewer.
From the smaller ones, offering fresh and experimental The papers of the time say that the young actor
shows affordable for any littling, to the larger, more was the victim of many threats that almost forced the
important institutions like the Royal Theater. Built by director to cancel the show, and that the day before
none-other than Oberon Trismegistus, this location is opening night there was a portentous brawl at the the-
so exclusive, that anyone less than Elegantly dressed ater, which the actors managed to avoid only thanks to
will be denied entrance. the intervention of some kind members of the public.

Pictured Here:
A poster for “The Queen and
the Boggart”. r 247 s
Pictured Here:
Children playing in the r 248 s
Beddingham market.
For one more feather in the cap of the Freedomes
capital we must look no further than the Grand
Beddingham Hotel, a majestic building home to am- Gangs of
bassadors and politicians, as well as important artists
and even visiting members of the Symposium.
The fee for a room in this hotel is rather steep, even if
Beddingham
you settle for second grade accommodation. The price Beddingham is a large and dan-
for a suite can rise up to exorbitant levels, while the gerous city, there are other gangs
penthouse is reserved for especially important littlings. than the Thimbles and Blackwaters
competing to control the streets.
The main reason behind this institution’s prestige is
the excellent level of services offered, with ‘round the From the Rat Hunters of Bedside,
clock staff ready to do anything the guests may wish. to the Yellowjackets, from the Dirty
Those who lack the required funds to enter this hotel Kings to the the Red Rebels of
as guests can always knock at the back door and find Blanket Street, the gangs fighting
employment as valets and errand littlings. on the streets of the capitals are
Indeed, many young littlings choose to spend some many, and it feels as if their number
time working here, but far fewer manage to remain is growing.
employed over the years, becoming true examples of
elegance and politeness and earning the title of con-
cierge or maître.

Last but not least, I must describe the University of

Bedside, renowned for its faculties of economics, di-
plomacy, etiquette, and linguistics. The marvelous
building of the University stands beside the Bed and
falls under the jurisdiction of Beddingham. Here,
many young littlings hailing from all corners of the
House meet and mingle, forming precious friendships
and laying the foundations of their future careers. Blackwater, always impeccably dressed, have spent
years battling for dominance, and there have been sev-
We cannot forget, afterall, the historical rivalry be- eral brawls to establish control over this or that street.
tween the universities of the Freedomes, so fervent On top of that, many shopkeepers are regularly vic-
that you’ll find many adult littlings still wear their tims of blackmail and extortion by ruthless thugs who
class rings and sing their college anthem at parties. are a scourge on the city.
Many littlings can rely on the healthy camaraderie
of fellow alumni to find a job, but unfortunately the Fortunately, the littlings of the Police patrol the
opposite is also true. streets in their colorful red jackets at all hours of the
The official colors of the University of Bedside are day and night.
blue and white, and its crest is a snail shell. The police force is known for their efficiency, but
they are possibly a tad too curt and aggressive. Fairly
It goes without saying that the prosperity of understandable, given the harsh reality they have to
Beddingham has drawn here several criminal rings. work in.
The Boggarts of Thimble’s gang, distinguishable
by their green checkered jackets, and the Sluagh of

r 249 s
 the Clock
The tall Grandfather Clock standing beside the Bed The
is widely regarded as the personal playground of Wise
Paracelsus, a place where the Dust Sprite can indulge
any whim of his hyperactive intellect and hold lectures
Bureaucrat
for any who are willing to learn. Everything we know about Contracts,
we certainly owe to the research of Argo
Here, the Pulvid also built a room for the Symposium, the Bureaucrat, the Sprite who visited
which is now in disuse, as well as his personal stu- every Household Force and listened to
dio, which takes the entirety of the space behind the their whims to understand their secrets.
Clock Face that Wise Paracelsus keeps constantly lit, But understanding this power was
like a lighthouse for all the good littlings of the Free not enough for him, he wanted to
Dominions. find a way to control it. And some
even say he succeeded, that he gath-
ered all his knowledge in a legendary
Diary, one many littlings still search
CLOCKMINSTER
for, often at great cost.
THE LIGHTHOUSE
Then he vanished into thin air.
The district of Clockminster is located beneath the
Grandfather Clock, not far from Beddingham.
The settlement is mostly inhabited by university stu-
dents and professors, as well as by all brilliant scholars
who work on furthering the research started by Wise
Paracelsus.
where it’s far too easy to get lost in a frenzy of busy
As soon as you set foot in the district, your eyes will be littlings pacing the corridors.
pierced by the bright Lights of the Clock Face, reach- There are small electric lights and technological
ing even the farthest corners of the Room. contraptions everywhere, and huge industrial halls
The town orbits around a semi-deserted square, dedicated to projects that have been interrupted and
which quickly becomes crowded twice a day when all never finished.
offices open and close.
And on that square stands the beautiful building
of the Free University of Clockminster, the first true Event:
university of the House, founded by Paracelsus only a Argo’s Study
few years after the Master’s disappearance. Its official On the highest floors of Clockminster, behind one
colors are red and white and its crest is the Clock Face. of the thousands locked doors, there’s the old study of
Argo the Bureaucrat. This brilliant littling had spent
Inside the dark wooden structure, you’ll be greeted years undertaking important research to understand
and accompanied by the regular toll of the Pendulum and wield the power of Contracts, only to then vanish
which produces the energy for the entire town. Inside mysteriously. And in this office there should be a secret
the university there are many labs, offices, classes, and door leading to a hidden room, wherein lies a ciphered
observatories stacked to dizzying heights. map that could lead to an extremely rare Contract by
Argo. The bad news is that, allegedly, this marvel is
While I have never had the pleasure to see the inside of being guarded by an obviously rather aggressive beast.
the Clock, it has been described to me as a surreal place, Some say it’s a tarantula, others wager a wolf spider.

r 250 s
 WISE PARACELSUS constantly engrossed in hundreds of projects he never
THE DUST SPRITE follows through with, a littling who loves to speak in
riddles and still has a child-like glint of wonder in his
“Nothing is real, but the Wonder!” eyes.

It would take an entire book only to scratch the surface As is my historical duty, I list here his titles:
of the many mysteries that surround Wise Paracelsus.
For starters, he was the only Pulvid in the entire Wise Paracelsus
House. This means that, while other Sprites are born Spokesperson of Sprites in the High Council
Out of the Draft, Spark, or Drain, he was born out of
Neglect, out of the Dust.
It was quite evident even by looking at him, as his
skin was pale and his hair puffy and white, addition-
ally, just like dust, he was everywhere. Apparently, he
always had been.

It is no secret that Wise Paracelsus has been spokes-

person for the Sprites for more than a century and that,
in all this time, he hasn’t aged a day. Many attribute his
longevity to miraculous alchemical compounds, but
others speak of a portentous machine, while others still
suspect the power of Contracts must be involved.
Whatever the truth may be, the Pulvid has always
been a touchstone for his people, to the point he be-
came their representative on the High Council and
was unanimously regarded as the littling behind every
political, economic, and even military strategy of the
Free Dominions, including the Great Betrayal. All
this, without ever formally holding political office.

The lack of commitment left him free to excel as an

alchemist, botanist, zoologist, philosopher, architect,
engineer, cartographer, linguist, historian, and overall
House expert.

Those who had the pleasure to meet him describe him Pictured Here:
as constantly hustling and bored in equal measures, Wise Paracelsus,
the Dust Sprite.

r 251 s
 the Vanity The city is all-round well kept and decorated, the
perfect backdrop for important ceremonies and work
The Vanity is a mountain that stands in front of the meetings between rich merchants and industrialists,
Blue Threshold and hides in its depths all manner of also offering all manner of entertainment.
riches. Everything in Rosevault can be bought, for the right
Once you reach its foot, you’ll be able to enter thanks price, and littlings are known to hire workers on the
to special lifts actioned by huge beetles, a completely spot for any and all tasks, from washing and ironing
free service granted to all after a quick check of their suits to going on errands.
documents. A unique feature of the city is that you’ll
be asked to temporarily leave all martial or ranged
weapons and metallic armors at the gates.
After these formalities, you’ll finally reach Rosevault.

ROSEVAULT
The city in the Vanity is organized on many tiers, with
solid sets of stone and brass stairs leading from one to
the next.
The highest tiers are home to the workers of the
Household Central Bank and their families, but also to
distinguished economists and officials of the Porcelain
Army stationed here to protect the Mint. Walking on
the wide streets of the city, you can stumble upon all
manner of fine establishments such as restaurants and
hotels, but also gentlittling’s clubs and casinos where
you can gamble or sing college anthems while drinking
spirits.

Event:
Oberon’s Ring
Over Chapter I and II, an elegant Salamander built
himself a reputation as an unbeatable card player.
He had beaten every rival without fail and brought
many casinos to the brink of failure. I’ve heard that
he was finally beaten one day and, unwilling to accept
defeat, he upped the ante and added to the pot a crys-
tal ring that had belonged to none other than Oberon
Trismegistus, the so-called dear departed emperor of
the Household. The littling who won this precious ar-
tifact, unfortunately, must have faced a hard life from
there after, because all criminals of the Upper Floor
wanted to get their hands on it at any cost.

Pictured Here:
r 252 s A soldier of the Porcelain Infantry.
On the lower tier you’ll find cozy taverns, much less The few who even believe in its existence call it
pretentious than those higher up and more suited to Mammon, and there are rumors about it being so
the frugal lifestyle of the police officers and miners, blinded with greed that it once ate one of the Mistress’
who inhabit this area. Rubies whole. Some littlings even tell stories in which
Afterall, Rosevault is the place where many good the arachnid offered them a Goldthirst Contract in
littlings of the Freedomes work tirelessly to mine the exchange for their services, or their mercy.
Master’s Coins and obtain the precious numismatic
ore. In the past, this work was much easier, as they
could employ battering rams to break through the walls
of the Vanity. The Astraviya Treaty, however, brought OKSANA DIAKOVNA
about a total ban on all practices that could damage the THE MARSHAL
Master’s property, and now the miners have to face the
hard and near-impossible task of opening the Small “Move, move, move!”
Drawers with the help of dozens of draft beetles.
The general manager of the Household Central Bank is
a middle-aged fairy by the name of Oksana Diakovna.
This upstanding woman spent years serving in the
THE HOUSEHOLD Great Imperial Army and only recently retired from
CENTRAL BANK her station as marshal. Indeed, many of her colleagues
Next to the mine, there’s the Household Central Bank, and employees still call her – although never exactly
home to the Rosevault Mint, which prints banknotes out loud – the Marshal.
that circulate in all nations of the Household. Oksana Diakovna is an unbelievably meticulous
The Bank’s building is spacious and elegant, impec- woman, extremely detail-oriented, and it’s not un-
cably managed by rows of efficient littlings. common to see her calmly shouting at the littlings of
the Police who, according to her, are unworthy of the
From that central building, an intricate web of reclaimed crucial task assigned to them.
Inbetweens sprawls into the Wall behind the Vanity. The fact that there’s a Fairy “in charge” of the Bank
There you’ll find the offices of directors and managers, of the Free Dominions is an implicit consequence of
as well as the national coffers and the private vaults of the Astraviya Treaty, which, reading between the lines,
wealthier customers. Each of these strongrooms is pro- established that the Realm would be directly involved
tected by complex combination locks and outfitted with in managing Rosevault. You can imagine how enthused
cutting-edge security systems. On top of that, if all the the Sprites were about this.
public areas of the bank are under the constant careful Anyway, we have to be fair and say that the Marshal
supervision of the police, the inner, hidden rooms in the has proved a good fit, and under her lead the produc-
Inbetweens are even more protected, and closely guard- tivity has much increased, although possibly the per-
ed by the Porcelain Army Infantry. sonnel’s satisfaction and happiness haven’t.

Historical Event:
MAMMON The Heist of the Century
Beyond the reclaimed Inbetweens where the vaults In the beginning of Chapter III, a group of criminals
of the Bank lay hidden, there’s an entire maze of dark led by Sylph Ferguson Fole from Wallford somehow
tunnels filled with dust and debris. Somewhere in this managed to get though security and slip away with the
maze of tunnels, a greedy Golden Silk Orbweaver largest take in history.
Spider made its lair. This extremely rare beast spends See “Chapter IIII” in Section VIII “Saga”
its days amassing gold and jewels.

r 253 s
r 254 s Pictured Here:
The Bathroom, the most busy
Room of the Upper Floor.
 The Bathroom Finally there are the large lizards that have begun
targeting the region, wading through the swamp to
Opposite to the Master Bedroom there’s the Damp maul unsuspecting littlings. As the latter are extremely
Threshold, leading to the Bathroom. If you’ve never tough beasts, the Gamekeepers of the Porcelain Army
been there, I guess it will be hard to fully understand have placed a hefty bounty on their head: they’re worth
how different this room is from any other place in the quite a lot, and a tongue is required as proof of the kill.
House, but I’ll do my best to describe it.
The most notable hunters around here are those be-
After passing the customhouse, or rather the place longing to the Soggy Spider Den, who have trophies
where it should have been, you’ll set foot on a smooth on show in many taverns in Tuberdam.
flooded Floor sure to cover your shoes and trousers Between Chapter II and III, the good hunters have
in mud. All around, several damp patches punctuate had several run-ins with the Freers, a revolutionary
the room, covered in a mixture of molds and a strange, group from the Freedomes. These wicked littlings
soggy, mushy, layer of moss. are led by commander Kirkland, an Undine who is a
The situation gets gradually better as you travel clos- veteran of the First Household War, and have found a
er to settled areas, finally reaching a point where the perfect hideout in the Moldy Marshes.
streets are kept shiny and clean by the tireless work of
the sweepers appointed by the Symposium.
From there, you can travel to the city located inside
the Washbasin Cabinet with its huge Hospital struc- TUBERDAM
ture, as well as reach the large pressure platforms that THE CITY ON THE EDGE
use the force of falling water to reach all the way to the Beautiful Tuberdam, the most lively city in the entire
Edge of the Bathtub. House, stands on the Edge of the Bathtub. The multi-
colored houses lining the streets have become a symbol
for a city that is as picturesque as it is real.
Walking over the jetties or in the white street you’ll
THE MOLDY MARSHES be surrounded by the chattering of littlings moving in
In the shadows of the Bathtub, heading further from and near the shops and inns, as well as the chattering
the Threshold and toward the quarry of the Great of warm waves crashing on the inner Edge.
Bowl, there’s a veritable marsh, full of molds and
mushrooms of every kind.
The Moldy Marshes are an important hunting
Z
Tuberdam is bright and dustless.
ground for the Free Dominions where only the most
experienced and brave hunters dare to go. Even walk-
In its waters progress flows.
ing there is quite a feat, as you could sink to your waist
Werner Reinhardt
in dirty water at any point, add to that an abundance
of creeping and stinging molds, which could cause all
manner of ailments, and you’ll begin to understand
Z
exactly how harsh of a place this is. In many of the round plazas of the city you’ll find beau-
tiful limescale statues representing important littlings
Making your way in this marshy forest without the and great discoveries. Maybe the most famous among
help of a weapon is almost impossible, and even then them is the one of the brave mouse who transported
you’ll have to be careful not to fall prey to a rat attack, important medicines through the Great Stairs.
or get ambushed by one of the many common and Just opposite of this legendary animal there’s
spurred centipedes hiding just below the surface. Tuberdam University, known throughout the House
for its faculty of medicine and surgery, as well as for the

r 255 s
brand new wing dedicated to the cutting edge disci- THE PORT
pline of forensics. The official colors of this institution The real Tuberdam can only be seen after you reach
are blue and gold, and its crest is a rounded cross, sym- the port and find yourself face to face with the great
bolizing the Faucet Handles. ships docked near wooden platforms.
Here, burly Undines and strong Boggarts work day
During the day, Tuberdam is bustling with littlings at and night to load and unload goods that have come
work, especially near the Port, both on the ships and from or are heading to the Whirlpool of the Faucet.
in the shops, where artisans, carpenters, and sailmakers
work tirelessly to create more ships. At night, the city The jetties are patrolled by officers of the Edge Guard,
lit by lanterns and candles becomes a safe haven for who are constantly busy and move in large groups to
the many tired littlings who drink beer and eat hearty take care of the many transport irregularities and pre-
meals in the many taverns, as well as for those who vent the contraband of illegal wares.
gamble (mostly playing dice) in the colorful brothels. Among them, I like to remember an esteemed littling
of great intelligence, a Sluagh who was the Marshal of
Port Authorities: Cesàr De la Cuve. During Chapter
IIII this lanky littling with a constantly bored expres-
sion on his gaunt face was usually seen in the company
Pictured Here:
The Whirlpool of the Faucet in of an apprentice assistant of sorts, an attractive Boggart
Tuberdam port. named Jacob.

r 256 s
 Event: Depending on where the cargo of the day is headed,
The Tuberdam Monster the water in the Bathtub can become very hot or cold,
During Chapter IIII a dangerous assassin roamed and this has led to the formation of especially tough
the streets of Tuberdam. mossy algae on the bottom of the tub.
His victims, all Sluagh, were all stabbed straight to
the heart with a blade made of limescale. The littlings
of the Edge Guard spent months trying to catch him,
unsuccessfully. WERNER REINHARDT
In the end, Marshal De la Cuve himself became a ESTEEMED RECTOR OF
target of this ruthless assassin and, in the end, he was THE SYMPOSIUM
also the one to solve the case.
At least, this is the official version of facts. There “Your tardiness is inexcusable”
are rumors about someone else intervening to solve the
mystery and bring the terrible criminal to justice. The Free Dominions are led by a group of six scholars,
one of whom is none other than the burly Boggart,
Prof. Brian O’Brian.
There are endless ways to enjoy yourself in the many The esteemed Rector of the Symposium and of the
waterfront bars, but I recommend you be careful not to Faculty of Medicine is an impeccably dressed Undine
step on any toes. Brawls are so common here that the by the name of Dr. Werner Reinhardt.
Police don’t even waste their time stepping in, so long
as the ruckus is contained. What Reinhard loves, above all, is progress. What
Here you can even place bets on absolutely non-le- he despises most, is tardiness. His long-term lookout
thal fights between littlings or animals, and even step transformed the small city of Tuberdam into the great-
into the ring, if you feel like it. est, most important, and most needed commercial hub
of the House.

Those who know him describe Reinhardt as a curt

THE FAUCET littling who never showed much love for the character
Have you ever wondered how larger wares are trans- of Wise Paracelsus and who possibly thought himself
ported from one Floor to the next all through the more suited to represent Sprites on the High Council.
House? The answer to this question is located in I, however, much prefer to remember him with these
Tuberdam, at the Faucet. few words from his biography:
Under that artificial waterfall there’s a Whirlpool
leading down through the Piping. From here, littlings “He was often seen walking:
can throw in any large crate, so long as it is fairly resis- simply lost in thought.
tant and contains no living or fragile wares. He gazed onto the House with his melancholic
watery eyes, looking straight through everything
Then, using heavy mechanisms and the strength of and stopping on things that weren’t.
many littlings, they can move the Faucet Handles to He was indeed a littling with an exceptional mind,
open or close the jet of water and choose which Room and as such he could never enjoy the Present,
of the House the wares will end up in, or even have constantly ruminating and sloshing
them come up from other Nations. about the untapped potential,
worrying about the delay in the Future”.

r 257 s
r 258 s
 Pictured Here:
The Basement basked
in the warm light of the Furnace.

r 259 s
 The
Basement

Down beyond the Quivering Stairs, where the House near-eternal Sunset, basking in the light of the False
meets its foundations, the red glare of a burning Fire, the Furnace burning beyond the Kashab Desert.
Furnace shines on the rough walls of the Basement. The only way for outside light to reach the Basement
Under the light of this eternal Sunset, the Sawdust is a small crack near the Ceiling, but it only becomes
dunes line the borders of the Horde territories, the relevant at night, when the False Fire goes to sleep and
mysterious underground domain of the Sluagh from everything turns an unnatural shade of blue.
Farbeyond. Land of secrets and mystical truths, of
dangers and great beauty.

EL PASO DE UMBRAL
FRONTIER OF THE HORDE

the On the lower steps of the Quivering Stairs stands El

Paso de Umbral, also known simply as Umbral.

Quivering Stairs This city of pale buildings is always full of people

coming and going from the Horde lands, all pouring
out for lunch into the small squares or crowding the
After making your way through the Long Hallway you taverns to escape the outside heat.
reach a short and dark set of Stairs. An ominous creak-
ing constantly echoes over the wooden steps, giving Local innkeepers often hire young littlings to venture
rise to a considerable number of legends and bringing close to the Inbetweens to gather agavian mold, which
many to believe that the Inbetweens here are haunted. is both a treat for earwigs and spiders and the main
If you make it through this dangerous stretch of ingredient of local spirits.
road, the Stairs take a sudden turn to the left and open
up on the Basement. Before entering into town, travelers have to undergo
strict custom control carried out by littlings of the
As you descend the Quivering Stairs, the tempera- Horde Militia. These officers in yellow uniforms are
ture rises noticeably and the air gets dry. All around, very scrupulous, and lived experience makes me think
the Walls and Ceiling are tinted in the colors of a they love teasing travelers, sometimes acting friendly
in order to make any of them trip up.

r 260 s
In all confidence, it’s not so hard to make it through On some rare occasions, a ratador will face a tarantula
customs with less than regular papers, so long as you’re or some other dangerous spider, but these are mostly
willing to make a donation to the Militia and come out clever braggarts who want to make a show of courage
the other side with lighter pockets. and often end up losing both face and life in the arena.
The one thing you have to avoid is catching the eye
of the soldiers of the Great Imperial Army, which the Most travelers visit the arena for entertainment, and
Realm has deployed to tighten controls on littlings even more go there to place bets and enjoy the thrill
leaving the city, as established by the Astraviya Treaty. of danger. Those who really want to meet a violent end
can always line up to try their hand in the arena, so
long as they are at least Elegant.
Event:
The Rat and the Girl
The Tijeras were once a very respected family in
Umbral, but they sadly fell from grace, and their goods XAVIAN TORQUEDA
were sold at auction. Among their treasures there was an THE DARK FAIRY
indomitable speckled rat named Leche, who was the best (Not to be confused with
friend of his little mistress, Margarita, and hers alone. Tristan des Larmes, the Dark Fairy)
When, between Chapter I and II, the poor rat got
sold at the arena and harnessed to face off against a “Prepare to die”
local Don like any other, sweet Margarita was incon-
solable, and she searched far and wide for someone to An unbeatable duelist roamed the lands near Umbral,
help her save him. some even say he was a better swordsman than Lazarus
Malachiorre.
Once upon a time, the Fairy fought side by side with
colonel Jules des Larmes (ironically, Tristan’s father)
THE RATADOR ARENA during his Campaign in the Basement, and was de-
The first word springing into the mind of any littling clared missing after a terrible battle.
who hears the name Umbral is corrida. Afterall, the Years later it came out that Xavian had done more
frontier town is especially famous as the home of the than survive: he had managed to become the first and
great arena for ratadores. only Fairy Skullrider, earning the moniker “the Dark
Fairy”.
These littlings, trained in cloak and pin, are the true
heroes of Umbral, clad in sparkling ensembles and The tales describe him as a quiet loner with a very
covered in web-like decorations. Every week, they face short temper and very little patience, and they say
similarly decorated huge rats wearing large headpieces that anyone who crossed swords with him met a quick
with long horns. death.
Fortunately, it seems that the fairy was much more
Z interested in spending his days and nights defending
littlings in need as a sort of vigilante.
Courage and grace are a formidable combina-
tion. Rare qualities in a littling. At the time of this story people didn’t understand why
The only place where they can be admired is in he did it, and they thought it was just a way to show
the corrida, or at the wrong end of a lancetta. off his skills.
However, the years would tell a different story and
Don Ramiro Vilar reveal the deeper meaning behind Xavian Torqueda’s
actions, as he still had a big part to play.
Z
r 261 s
 the Puddle slowly rotating in the hot air, as a monument to mirror
and emulate the majestic Great Blade. At the foot of
Turning your back to Umbral and venturing further this monument there’s the most important Fencing
into the Basement it should take you two days on foot Academy of the Horde, where they pass down the art
through the dust to reach the Mirandola Gulf. It’s im- of the dueling lancetta, and teach poise and etiquette.
possible to get lost, as you just have to keep walking This school, as many others in the Horde, also preaches
toward the Great Blade standing out on the horizon, the value of cowardice, which is considered the highest
twinkling with the red reflection of the Sunset. virtue of those who put the result of a mission before
As you get closer, the warm Floor will sprout more their own honor.
and more green molds and moss, which thrive in the
damp ground around the Puddle.

VILETIA
THE MOST SPLENDID
THE MIRANDOLA GULF Viletia is light and airy, a city that has well earned the
Right in the middle of the Basement, at a mid-point title of “Most Splendid” and draws thousands of tour-
between Umbral and Al Sehir, there’s a large and deep ists from the Basement and the House at large every
Puddle. The luxurious vegetation that sprouts around year. The main feature of this city is that it is partly
this peculiar body of water brightens and cools down built on the banks of the gulf, and partly on its waters,
the air, creating an oasis in the dry environment of the with most of its buildings standing on sturdy stilts.
Basement. The city streets are narrow, and divided by wide ca-
Around this Puddle there’s a gulf covered in quaint nals, with bridges of all shapes crossing from all sides.
little buildings and rolling fields where farmers grow I suggest you forgo your normal mount, as the most
all kinds of molds, especially those used to make wine. convenient means of transportation here are small
And in the middle of this gulf, the Sluagh worked boats. Some caravans even have to take the long way
hard to erect a huge colorful pinwheel, the Mirandola, around the gulf, as they would never fit on the streets.

r 262 s
 VERANA OF VILETIA
THE TSARINA BELOW

“They say death is the end of all.

Depends on whose death.”

The Skullrider Verana of Viletia earned the title of

“Most Splendid” not only because she is the leader of
a city with the same title, but above all, because of her
beauty. The blonde Salamander is notoriously charis-
matic, and she is constantly competing with Arcadia
Oberonovna for the coveted “title” of most beautiful
woman in the House.
She usually keeps to her palace, surrounded by beau-
tiful mold-flower arrangements, or travels to far-away
embassies to secure important alliances. During the
Ostara festivities she is seen in the city more often, as
she is either host or honored guest of many import-
ant events. The Skullrider is so devoted to etiquette
and clothing that any littling who is less than Elegant
might as well be invisible in her eyes, and the only way
one can hope to enter her good graces is by showing
impeccable manners and providing rich gifts.
Behind this frivolous lady-of-the-court persona
hides a cunning strategist, a Salamander who began
her life with nothing and rose to the highest stature,
a woman who still isn’t satisfied, who plots and plans
to make all her wishes come true. As a testament to
Walking around the alleys and squares of Viletia, her skill, people have begun calling her “the Tsarina
you’ll have a hard time choosing where to look, as on Below”, and some would even want to see her sit on
every corner there’s a wonderful piece of art by the Laio’s throne in the Capital.
most renowned artists who left their mark on build-
ings and bridges.
Event:
At night it gets even better, as thousands of multicol- The Viletia Tournament
ored sugar lanterns light up the lampposts and littlings During Chapter V the terrible events of Yule put a halt
pour into the taverns and restaurants to enjoy the local to the Faeriyev tournament. This allowed the Viletia
cuisine based on algae and aquatic larvae and savor a tournament to become, at least for that year, the main
glass or two of good wine. and only fencing competition of note in the Household.
In the week of Ostara, the city gets even more The Skullrider Verana did not miss this opportunity to
crowded and colorful, if you can imagine it, as it hosts make a mark in the hearts of many participants, offer-
the famous carnival. You’ll have to be careful not to hit ing exorbitant sums to the winner, as well as the title of
the bottle too hard, as with all the masks, music, and Viletian Knight and a small but classy estate on the gulf.
street performers, the danger of falling into a canal is It goes without saying that such an offer piqued the in-
considerable. The famous fencing tournament orga- terest of several criminal gangs who apparently did every-
nized by the Skullrider Verana also falls in those days. thing in their power to get the prize, one way or another.

On the left: The most splendid Viletia.

Above: Verana, Dogaressa of Viletia r 263 s
 the Great Blade The bitter smell of rust combines with the many
spices used to cook roaches and mushrooms right in
From Viletia it takes a couple of days on foot to reach the streets. The constant chatter of taverns and bazaars
the Workbench, and then another full day to scale the is punctuated only by the loud shouts of street ven-
Stool or climb the stairs on the Drawers. dors and newsies. Safe to say that your senses will be
The road is pretty dangerous, as spiders of all kinds stormed from all sides by a multitude of wonders.
are by far the most common animals in this region of Caliph Laio the Handsome has recently given the
the House. An expert guide or hunter is a necessity, lest order to outfit several squares with fountains connect-
you wish to wake up dead in the middle of the night, ed to a complex system of miniature pipes, partially
but fortunately there are many good Sluagh who make substituting the ancient golden idols from Farbeyond.
their living by offering such services. Many followers of the old traditions come to pay
For a faster journey to this destination, you could em- respects to the remaining statues, which usually repre-
bark on one of the boats that sail from the Mirandola sent a spider or beetle, but some-times portray mythi-
Gulf. These luxury watercraft are only affordable for cal creatures like the snake and the scorpion.
the fortunate few, but they offer all comforts to any lit- Some Sluagh look at these idols as symbols of wis-
tling willing to buy a ticket that’s anything but cheap. dom, strength, or cowardice, but others worship them
After reaching the Stool one way or another, you’ll in a more literal way, founding entire sects and reli-
be faced with a huge and extremely crowded roadblock gions on their faiths.
placed between the legs. There are all kinds of littlings Not even Laio could put a stop to what he calls “sil-
here, elbowing to get in or out of the city, each carry- ly and backwards beliefs”. His best efforts and many
ing beetles, mice, goods, and several distant relatives. edicts could do nothing against the extremely deep
Controls are usually hasty, and mostly focus on the bond some Horde citizens have with these statues, and
more suspicious events or on those who transport large all he got out of them was a bad reputation and the
quantities of wares, who carry big weapons, and all dissatisfaction of the public.
those who look like they could be trouble.
After the roadblock, you’ll be free to proceed to the
Workbench by climbing up the ladders made of cob- Event:
webs or jumping on a lift pulled by beetles. The Spider Cult
During Chapter IIII some dignitaries and ambas-
sadors who had come to visit Al Sehir mysteriously
vanished and nobody could seem to understand why.
AL SEHIR It took a group of the most brilliant and inquisitive
THE RUSTED CITY littlings to understand that the entity behind it all
On top of the Workbench, you’ll find the Horde was the Spider Cult, a group of several prominent
Capital, Al Sehir, best known as the Rusted City. Sluagh who could rely on the support of entire areas
If you’ve never been there, it will probably be hard of the city. These littlings were trying to “free” the
to imagine the sheer amount of littlings crowding the capital from invaders, and chose to do so by donning
streets that can easily disorient anyone with a whirl- golden masks with a spider effigy and perpetrating
wind of colorful clothes and deep eyes. ruthless crimes.
Bear in mind that Al Sehir is the most densely popu- Luckily, after months of investigation, toward the
lated place of the Household, and by a long shot! end of Chapter IIII, someone was able to discover
At the busiest times it’s going to prove hard to even the littlings behind the masks, also gaining a generous
walk through the crowd without being pushed when- recognition by the Caliph.
ever, and it pains me to say that you’ll also want to be
mindful of your bags, as pickpockets often take advan-
tage of the crowd to target tourists.

Pictured Here:
r 264 s Al Sehir, capital of the Horde.
All visitors should try to see the great city bazaar, but
there are also many other places well worth a day-long
visit to be fully explored and appreciated.
the Law of
The University of Al Sehir, for example, is a mar-
velous place hosting hundreds of students every day
and granting them all the privilege of studying with
Dawn
great scholars from all over the House. The huge city The crime rate in Al Sehir is so high
Library is the place to search for information on any that for a long time the Militia had
topic and find books in any language, mainly thanks no way of persecuting new criminals,
to the huge funding Caliph Laio allocated, once again as they were too backlogged.
proving how strongly he feels about the education of
the young littlings of the Horde. As such, the Law of Dawn was in-
stituted, practically stating that all
You clearly can’t say you’ve truly visited Al Sehir if you but the most heinous crimes (and
haven’t seen the Great Blade up close. The symbol of the ones against important littlings)
this glorious nation is also the source of the rust layer committed on one day are automati-
covering the capital. This natural monument is espe- cally pardoned at the next dawn.
cially dear to all Sluagh as it is simultaneously located
above the Red Spring, beneath Samaraknid, facing the
Sunset, and in front of the Caliph's Palace. Once you
know this, it’s pretty clear why they also call the Blade
“the center of the World”.

r 265 s
 THE CALIPH’S PALACE These littlings, bound by contract to Rust, are the last
The Caliph’s Palace is home to the aforementioned defense nominated by the Caliph in hopes of lowering
Laio, but also residence of the Khan of the Horde, the crime rate of the capital and putting a stop to its
Capitano Rodomonte. At least in theory. many criminal rings.
This magnificent white building is renowned in all As a consequence of the breakout from Deepdown,
nations for the vertical gardens overflowing with green these soldiers have been placed to guard all important
and yellow molds, as well as for the arches beautifully areas of the capital, and have stood out for being much
decorated by skilled artisans. more efficient than the littlings of the Militia.
Only especially important littlings (and their ser-
vants) can hope to gain entrance to the palace, and
trespassers will have to face both the Militia and the
elite unit, the Janissaries. LAIO THE HANDSOME
CALIPH OF AL SEHIR

“It is no longer time to reap. Now we sow hope

for a better tomorrow.”

Laio is a very handsome Sluagh, as you may have gath-

ered from his moniker.
His reddish-orange hair, long and fine as spider silk,
proudly stands out against the blue, black, and gold of
his elegant clothes.

The Caliph of Al Sehir came into power after the

death of Kubalai Khan and, in the short years of his
reign, has already proved to have a foresightedness and
love for peace the likes of which haven’t character-
ized Horde authorities. To him goes all the credit for
many architectural projects, as well as for the current
era of abundance and prosperity of the University of
Al Sehir, and for thousands of other notable projects
aimed to tackle crime rates and stop young littlings
from moving away to apparently greener pastures.

Those who know him describe Laio as a serene littling

who enjoys good manners without standing on cere-
mony too much. He is the kind of littling who knows
how to make a guest feel welcome, or unwelcome, and
who always has a charming and polite topic to enter-
tain guests. His love for the arts and studies is second
only to his vast knowledge and willingness to make the
Horde the new cultural center of the Household.

Pictured Here:
Caliph Laio the Handsome
on his throne in Al Sehir.

r 266 s
Despite all this, Laio is mostly unpopular among the The Upside-Down city is completely made up of
citizens of the Horde, especially those tied to ancient hardened, compacted spiderwebs, and is home to doz-
traditions. His peaceful ways and “soft” policing have ens upon dozens of spiders of all sorts and sizes. The
earned him no good will from those who would have creatures are looked after and cared for by the best
much rather kept raiding and pillaging. animal handlers of the Horde and the House at large,
Even the less violent littlings have often turned their with several Boggarts hired by Caliph Laio himself.
nose up at the high taxes he has gradually piled upon
the citizens – especially the wealthiest – to gather the His obsession for this city founded by none other than
funds for his projects to develop the nation. Kubalai Khan was still unclear at the time, but it would
Add to this the fact that he is openly in conflict with make a lot of sense in later years.
the beloved Capitano Rodomonte, and you’ll have a Because the Caliph and his spiders still had a big
pretty clear picture of a littling with the best intentions part to play.
who just can’t seem to gain the love of his people.

Event:
To Samaraknid
SAMARAKNID Halfway through Chapter III, Viscount Oleg
THE UPSIDE-DOWN CITY Protopopolov and his bodyguards managed to finally
Samh ar’Akhn, best known as Samaraknid is a com- gain audience with Caliph Laio. I’ve heard that, for
pletely unique city. First of all, it is located on the the occasion, Oleg gifted each guard with an elegant
Ceiling and is built entirely upside-down, which is set of clothes, so that they wouldn’t embarrass him in
pretty far from normal. front of the host. He even bought the biggest, most
bejeweled turban he could find for himself, which I
The only way to reach the city is through the Silk can say for certain, as he often bragged about it in the
Road, a long spiderweb that connects the Great Blade following years.
with the Ceiling. To make the journey, you have to Anyway, as it turned out Protopopolov had come all
wait for Kabir, a domesticated wolf spider who only this way to get a chance to see, and maybe buy from
descends when Laio or one of the other city authorities the Skullrider a specific albino spider, a rare and won-
orders it. This helpful arachnid is nothing short of a drous creature he just had to meet for himself.
terrifying sight, but turns out to be far too friendly Sadly, as we all know, Protopopolov got carried away
with the welcome guests he is tasked to pull up in a during negotiations and ended up letting the spider
beautiful basket with comfortable seats. out of the cage. And so, the creature escaped never to
Along the journey to the highest point of the be seen again, at least for a while.
Basement, you’ll be able to get a unique perspective on He had to leave behind many Crystals to earn for-
the capital and even catch a glimpse of the False Fire giveness, and was ultimately embarrassed by the fact
far beyond the Kashab Desert. he could no longer afford to pay his bodyguards. But
it mustn’t have been that bad, as I’ve heard that they
After reaching Samaraknid the only thing you can do had become good friends of his, and earned a place of
is fall down, unless you have also been granted by the honor in their patron’s mansion in Astraviya, as well as
Caliph an Upside-Down Welcoming Contract (See an invitation to the Great Yule Ball in Tournoire.
Section V “Contracts”).
This unique contract extension allows visitors to
walk upside down on the ceiling, so long as they mind
their hats and respect few but very strict rules.

r 267 s
Pictured Here:
Capitano Rodomonte
studying a painting of r 268 s
himself with Kubalai
Khan’s head in his hand.
 CAPITANO RODOMONTE

The
KHAN OF THE HORDE

Skullriders
“…”

A logbook from the Great Imperial Army’s Navy de-

scribes the Capitano as “a gaunt littling with an eye The 27 Skullriders hold all the political
patch”. And this is more or less everything we know and military power within the Horde.
about him. Each of them wears around their neck
In paintings, he is mostly depicted from behind, like an amulet with a horned skull, which is
a small shadow looming on the scene, and his legend is a replica of Kubalai Khan’s seal.
far greater than that on any other littling. These grim pendants were created by
the war-chiefs of the original Sluagh
Capitano Rodomonte is certainly the most cryptic fig- tribes to commemorate the time they
ure to have ever roamed the House. bowed to the higher power of Kubalai
At the time of our story nobody knew where he had and named him Khan of the Horde of
come from, or when, or for what reason. the Great Blade.

The one clear thing was that he had emerged from the To this day, anyone who kills a Skullrider
depths of the Piping at some point, and the House was and wears their amulet automatically gains
never the same after that. the title, with all the honors and perks.
With just one murder, Rodomonte had deposed As such, being a Skullrider mostly
Kubalai Khan, become leader of the Horde, put an end entails being the victim of a long string
to the First Household War, and set off the Fragile of attempted murders, and thus only the
Peace. smartest and strongest littlings can hold
the title for long.
As is my historical duty, I list here his titles, as enu-
merated in a bizarre biography by a fellow historian: Among them we remember Khan
Rodomonte, Caliph Laio the
For the sake of clarity, he was appointed Khan Handsome, and Verana of Viletia. But
of the Horde, Lord of the Blade, Lord of Skullriders, there are also the Immeasurable Bastion
Prince of the Below-rooms, Duke of the Last Steps,
the Champion, Xavian Torqueda the
Duke of Pipes and Rust, Duke of Mold and Malodor,
Dark Fairy, Balthazar Bashan the
Marquis of Offlight, of Highwall, and of Plasterless,
Sultan Utu Dasewer, and the Janissaries’
Marquis of the Dusty Glass and Broken Glass,
Emir Vaqaard.
Marquis of Holes, Ruts, and Tears, Count of the
Baseboards, Count of the Quivering Stairs, Count of
Moldwood and Flakewall, Count of Damp Rags and
Dry Rags, Count of Things Unseen, Count of Clutter,
Count of Longwood, Longsteel, and Deepdown,
Count of Densalgae, Captain of the Last Ship, Master
of Spiders, and Ratrider: in sum, he had a long series
of titles that could only interest such a despicable Those who knew him called him Prince Vilenero
creature as the Capitano himself who – for due clarity Voltoio Arsenio Rodomonte, but to his soldiers,
– did not care for them either anyway. he was simply “Capitano”.

r 269 s
the Sawdust Waste BALTHAZAR BASHAN
SULTAN OF U TU DASEWER
Far from Al Sehir, the groves in the piping provide
fertile ground to a thick growth of mold and mush- “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach”
rooms of all kind, especially nitric mold. This region
dominated by a bleak vegetation is known as Dasewer, The Sultan of Utu Dasewer is Skullrider Balthazar
and borders with a vast sawdust expanse also known Bashan, a Sluagh who went down in history as a great
as Kashab. poet and a patron of knowledge. He is most commonly
portrayed holding parchments or books, and it’s not
uncommon to use him as a benchmark for a littling’s
intelligence and culture level.
U TU DASEWER
The largest city of this region is Utu Dasewer, built In all confidence, the Sultan is actually a small-minded
upward in a reclaimed section of the Inbetweens. and uneducated littling who couldn’t be further from
The wide curtains surrounding the entrance to the his public image.
Wide Pipe are a clear welcome to all travelers who Most of the writings attributed to him are actually
come here after weathering the heat of the False Fire. the works of far better poets, who were forced to lend
Once there, a quick check of the documents takes themselves to this sad spectacle due to a lack of fund-
place, although it can be avoided by handing a couple ing and sometimes out of fear.
crystals to the Militia. After the formalities, you’ll be
able to climb to the city by using the stairs inside the The most keen-eyed will notice that he is never seen
Pipe. without a small-framed young woman, a green-haired
sluagh by the name of Shiraz.
From the inside, Utu Dasewer is a complex and damp She is the Sultan’s most trusted advisor and his
net, and you always have to climb up or down to get to personal prompter. A poet with a brilliant mind, who
the next tavern or inn. takes advantage of the Sultan’s shortcomings to fight
The city doesn’t have much variety, but an abundance for the good of her people.
of what it can offer, which mainly consists of gambling
dens, weapons stores (legal and illegal), hunters’ dens
like the famous Dullsand Den, and most of all, rivers Event:
of cheap alcohol. The Snake’s Tomb
After all, this is the home of the purest blends of To consolidate his station, the Skullrider Balthazar
XXX, a poisonous spirit only Sluagh and Boggarts can was trying to get his hands on an ancient tome from
withstand without suffering the ailments it causes to Farbeyond, which was said to contain the infinite wis-
any other littling. The most fearless can even find and dom of Apophis, the Snake idol. But to find the sought
sample some XXXXX, which will immediately knock after text, someone needed to reach a secrete entrance
out anyone who isn’t a Sluagh. leading to a forgotten stretch of the Inbetweens where,
The best place to drink this horrible hooch is the allegedly, treasure and riches were hidden together
bar of Jossafat, also known as One-eyed Jo, a crippled with who knows how many dangers, centipedes, and
Sluagh with a wooden leg. Over Chapter II and III, a traps of all sorts. The Sultan kept talking about how
pretty handsome Boggart named Jacob worked here, he would gift his own steed, a black mouse of Bathur
where he rose to fame as the guy who tried to drink breed famous for being the fastest in the House, to
the oldest and strongest spirit twelve times, or so I’ve any brave littling who could succeed in finding this
been told. treasure. Who knows if anyone ever did it.

r 270 s
 Pictured Here:
r 271 s A group of littlings playing
cards in a dive of Utu
Dasewer.
 THE KASHAB DESERT THE SUNSET
Once you leave Utu Dasewer, it’ll take no more than HOME OF THE FALSE FIRE
a day to find yourself surrounded by sawdust. The In the furthest recess of the desert, you may glimpse
Kashab is a wonderful and lonely place, spanning over the Furnace grate, home of the False Fire. This Force
many many days of walk to a horizon that never gets spreads light and heat in the Basement and is practical-
closer. For travelers, this desert is an inferno, made un- ly unapproachable. Sluagh simply call it “the Sunset”,
bearably hot and dry by the proximity to the False Fire, and they firmly believe that it will one day complete-
and overrun by terrible lizards, spiders, and centipedes, ly supplant the Flames of the Fireplace, gaining the
all laying in ambush under the dunes. strength needed to heat the entire House.
On the other hand, the nomads see it as a precious
hunting ground, and they are very distrustful of strang-
ers, especially the ones who “steal” their prey, even if
just in self-defense. XERXES
THE SUNSET DEVIL
Many a littling has lost their head in this desert, they Near this towering cast-iron mountain there’s the lair
came here looking for some sort of treasure and never of a terrible beast, the largest Huntsman Spider to ever
found a way out. The only hope for these unfortunate be. Over the years many Janissaries tried to kill it, and
souls are the medjay, the desert knights, strong soldiers their rusted weapons are still wedged in its tough back.
and skilled duelist with their cogpesh. The medjay call it Xerxes, but most littlings know it as
These good littlings, mostly Sluagh, follow a strict the Sunset Devil. The brave littling who finally killed
code of honor and have no allies and no enemies, it said that, before the fatal blow, the beast even offered
they serve the False Fire with the same conviction the them a Wallstrider Contract in exchange for mercy.
Cinder Knights have in their service to the Hearth. Who knows how many gave in to that temptation.

Pictured Here:
A littling watching the Sunset beyond the
Sawdust Desert.

r 272 s
 Deepdown somewhat of an independent town, with its own leader
and set of rules. Upper circles are crowded with prison
In the corner between the Rusted City and the damp guards, but lower rings are no-littling’s-land, where
region of Dasewer, you’ll find the huge metallic moun- only the strongest survive.
tain known as Deepdown. I say “you’ll find” as nobody
reaches Deepdown if they weren’t looking to get there,
as no sane littling would head to the darkest, scariest Historical Event:
corner of the Basement. And if that wasn’t enough, the Breakout at Deepdown
road to Deepdown and to the city of Penjara is overrun In the beginning of Chapter III, an unprecedented
by swarms of wasps and hornets, coming from their event took place: a mass breakout that brought hun-
nest on the Wall. dreds of criminals and alleged criminals back on to the
streets. See “Chapter III” in Section VIII “Saga”

PENJARA
The city of Penjara isn’t so bad, all things considered, BESAN TUAN
it even becomes pleasant enough after you get used to THE IMMEASURABLE BASTION
sharing the space with all the species of bumblebees
bred by locals. After all, this is the home of the hornet “The idols have chosen their champion”
bees that make up the Black Legion, the flying battal-
ion of the Horde Army, pride of the nation. Governor and Champion of Penjara, this littling
What really makes any stay in Penjara unsettling stands 4 tiny meters tall, if you were to believe the tales
is the fact that the town is built around Deepdown about him.
mountain, in which the prison of the same name was He is usually described as a muscular Sluagh, whose
built. face is covered in an extremely wide white beard paired
with a curled-up mustache and who always wears a
gigantic turban, oversized even on him.
About the turban I’ve heard that Besan Tuan em-
DEEPDOWN PRISON ploys three valets with the sole purpose of lugging it
To reach the maximum-security prison of Deepdown, around and even together they barely manage.
convicts have to walk over spiderweb bridges stretched As a littling of great faith and unwavering princi-
over Longwood and Longsteel. ple, Besan Tuan believes the Idols placed him among
As they get closer, they can hear the creaks of twist- the leaders of the Horde. For this reason, he ordered
ing metal plates echoing from the depths below. It’s a breathtaking coliseum to be build so he could face
truly enough to shake even the bravest littlings. there any littling willing to challenge him, even the
On the top, there’s a fine mesh grate, above which prisoners, putting his own title as Skullrider on the
stands a tall tower with a heavy perch. It’s the perch plate. To this day, he always behaved honorably and
of the Nightrider’s bats, who patrol the province with always claimed to be ready to leave his post to any wor-
their silent black wings. thy contender who may arise. But he has never been
Inside, the prison is organized in concentric circles, defeated.
ever narrower and more oppressive. There are no stairs In the past, he earned many nicknames, like the
connecting the rings, only a huge hook tied to a chain. Bastion, the Immeasurable, and even the Temple
That is how inmates are lowered to their assigned cir- Littling, since he chose to use a capital from a tem-
cle and then retrieved at the end of their sentence. ple column as prosthesis after losing a hand in battle.
Each ring is outfitted with a common area and a There’s even a rumor that his father was a Boggart, and
bare-bones canteen. Over time, each circle has become he somehow inherited both of his parents’ Contracts.

r 273 s
Pictured Here: r 274 s
Capitano Rodomonte
portrayed on an old poster.
Appendix I
opponents

r 275 s
This Appendix is entirely dedicated to the Opponents LITTLINGS AND BEASTS.
you’ll encounter during your adventures in the House. Littling Opponents can rely on their Hereditary
In the upcoming pages you’ll find a very long and Contracts, as explained under the Littling Trait. Beast
detailed list of many Opponents ready to stand in your Opponents, on the other hand, might be Large, Huge,
way, from the smaller and peskier roaches to the giant or Giant.
huntsman spider, all the way through gendarmes, ear- Remember that some Moves can only be used
wigs, soldiers, hornets, and rabid rats. Each of them against a set type of Opponents. Many Duelist Moves,
will also feature extra information and tips for the for example, have no effect on beast Opponents unless
Narrator. the Duelist is using a ratador’s cloak.

LITTLING OPPONENTS
DOUBLE TROUBLE,
Hooligans
TRIPLE THREAT
Gendarmes
Some Opponents can rely on the Double Trouble or
Duelists
Triple Threat Traits, which make for extremely fierce
Scouts
combats.
Soldiers
When defending against an Opponent with the
Cuirassiers
Double Trouble or Triple Threat Trait, your Reaction
Honor Guards
Rolls will have Multiple Difficulties equal to double or
Master Duelists
triple the Opponent’s Difficulty.
For example, when you’re facing a Basic Opponent Golden Backs
with Triple Threat, you will need 3 Basic Successes to Janissaries
defend yourself during Reaction Turns. If you score Cinder Knights
less than 3 Basic Successes, you failed, but you can still Porcelain Infantry Soldiers
use any rolled Successes to do Damage Control.

Bear in mind that these Traits do not change the BEAST OPPONENTS
Difficulty of your Action Rolls and only influence Roaches
Reaction Rolls. Wasps
Earwigs
Common Spider
TAILORING Centipede
OPPONENTS Hornets
Rat
Many Opponents have Optional Traits the Narrator
Lizard
may use if they wish to make the Opponent even more
Beetle
fierce, or to tailor the gaming experience. There is no
Large Spider
limit to the number of Optional Traits an Opponent
can have. Spurred Centipede
Golden Silk Orbweaver
The Double Trouble and Triple Threat Traits can prove Net Casting Spider
especially useful to a Narrator who wishes to increase Giant Centipede
an Opponent’s menace and keep combat challenging Huntsman Spider
in later Chapters.

r 276 s
 THREAT LEVEL OPPONENT ACTIONS
Each Opponent has a threat level represented by a row Each Opponent comes with a list of 6 actions they can
of small spiders next to their names. take on their turns.
The threat level of an Opponent goes from 1 to 5, The Narrator is free to choose any action from the
depending on how dangerous they are. Opponents list, but they can also choose to rely on the roll of
with threat level 1 are very easy to face, they shouldn’t an impartial numeric die to randomly determine the
pose too much of a challenge even for less prepared Opponent’s behavior. When they need to describe a
Characters. specific situation or they wish to further tailor a com-
Opponents with threat level 2, 3, and 4 are increas- bat scene, the Narrator can also come up with entirely
ingly dangerous, and will continue to challenge you for new actions.
the entire Saga thanks to their Optional Traits.
Finally, Opponents with the highest threat level are Usually, all Players make the same Reaction Roll to
more unique than rare. They are littlings hardened by defend from the Opponent’s attack. This ensures that
many battles or mammoth beasts straight out of leg- the combat scene keeps flowing simply and freely.
ends. They always pose a great challenge, even to the However, in some exceptionally memorable situations,
most valiant and prepared groups. the Narrator might decide to have each Character tar-
geted by a different attack, and thus ask each Player to
The threat level of an Opponent can be very useful make their Reaction Roll with a different Skill.
for Narrators trying to balance the gaming experience.
As a general rule, in Chapter I Characters should face
Opponents of threat level 1 or 2, in Chapter II they
should face Opponents of threat level 2 or 3, and so on
and so forth.
Obviously, the threat level of an Opponent does not
consider their Optional Traits, so you should think
well about when to use them.

Pictured, from left to right:

two roaches, a small mouse, a
littling, a wasp, an earwig, a saddle
mouse, a hornet, a centipede, a
beetle, a rat, a large spider, and a
giant centipede.

r 277 s
 Opponent Crawling

Traits Characters who try to leave combat suffer -1 to their

roll unless they can rely on a sharpened weapon.

Armed Double Trouble

Unarmed Characters suffer -1 to all Action and The Difficulty of Reaction Rolls made against the
Reaction Rolls against an Armed Opponent. Opponent is double the Opponent’s Difficulty.
For example, if you are facing a Critical Opponent with
Armored the Double Trouble trait, all Reaction Rolls against
The Opponent is wearing heavy armor. Characters who them will have a Difficulty level of 2 Critical.
attack with anything but a firearm, pointed, or ranged
weapon suffer -1 to their Action Rolls. Filthy
The Opponent is disgustingly dirty and carries all
Barrage kinds of sickness. Characters who fail to roll at least
The Opponent has two alternating lines of shooters: one Basic Success on their Reaction Turn immediately
as the first line shoots, the other reloads. Characters suffer the Sick Condition.
always suffer 1 Stress when attacking with melee
weapons. Flying
Characters who can rely on a shield or wide weapon The Opponent can fly. As such, they can only be hit by
may ignore this Trait. firearms, throwing, or ranged weapons, by melee weap-
ons with the Reach Trait, or by flying Faeries.
Beast
The Opponent is a beast or group of beasts. Giant
The Opponent is a gigantic beast, as tall as ten lit-
Cobweb tlings. Giant Opponents gain all benefits of both the
The Opponent shoots cobwebs at great speed. During Huge and Heavily Armored Traits.
their Reaction Turn, Characters outside of combat On top of that, they are large enough to need 2
must make Reaction Rolls with Elusion + War. If they Opponent Sheets and must be faced in as many phases.
fail, they get trapped in sticky cobwebs that impede After defeating one part, you move on to the next.
their every move.
During their turn, Characters may get free from Golden Cobweb
cobwebs with a Critical Action Roll in Strength + War. See Cobweb. Cobwebs spun by golden silk orbweavers
So long as they are trapped, Characters fail all Reaction are extremely resistant. Anyone trying to break free
Rolls without rolling the dice. from these cobwebs suffers -1. Additionally, trapped
Characters who can rely on a sharpened weapon may boggarts are unable to go juggernaut.
use their action to free a friend without rolling the dice.
Boggart Characters who go juggernaut immediately Hard to Kill
break free from cobwebs without needing to use an When the Opponent reaches a Crucial Box, they acti-
action. vate their Move as usual, but do not suffer any addition-
al Stress from the attack. For example, if the Opponent
Counter-attack stands to suffer 3 Stress because of a Character’s attack,
Characters who fail their rolls to attack the Opponent the Narrator must fill only the Stress boxes up to the
immediately suffer 1 Stress. Crucial Box and ignore all further Stress.

r 278 s
Hardened Shell Nimble
The Opponent is protected by natural armor. Charac- The Opponent’s movements are exceptionally quick
ters who attack with anything but a firearm, heavy, or and nimble. Characters who attack with two handed
ranged weapon suffer -1 to their Action Rolls. weapons, firearms, ranged, or throwing weapons all
suffer -1 to their Action Rolls.
Heavily Armored
The Opponent is wearing a unique set of heavy armor. Rust
This could be a porcelain cuirass or a suit of cinder Janissaries undersign a Contract with Rust. Their
armor. They can never take more than 1 Stress per weapons and even their bodies are covered in pinkish
attack. rust that makes them beyond venomous.
For clarity, Characters who roll an Impossible Success Characters who fail to roll at least one Basic Success on
against a Heavily Armored Opponent only deal 1 Stress. their Reaction Turn immediately suffer the Poisoned
and Sick Conditions.
Huge
The Opponent is either a beast twice as tall as a lit- Shield
tling, or a small group of beasts that are bigger than The Opponent can rely on a button, coin, or a natural
a littling. All Huge Opponents have the Hard to Kill shield. Characters who attack with firearms, ranged, or
and Armed Traits. Characters outside of combat can throwing weapons all suffer -1 to their Action Rolls.
easily shoot Huge beasts without any Hindrance from
their fellow Characters in melee.
Characters suffer -1 to all rolls made to leave combat Shooters
against a Huge Opponent. Finally, Characters suffer -1 The Opponent can rely on one or more shooters.
to all rolls made to run away from a Huge Opponent, During their Reaction Turn, Characters outside of
unless they can rely on a mount. combat must make Reaction Rolls with Elusion + War.

Large Triple Threat

The Opponent is either a single beast taller than a lit- The Difficulty of Reaction Rolls made against the
tling, or a small group of beasts as big as a littling. All Opponent is triple the Opponent’s Difficulty. You may
Large Opponents have the Hard to Kill and Armed assign this Trait to an Opponent as a way to manage
Traits. situations where Characters are greatly outnumbered.
For example, if you are facing a Basic Opponent with
Littling the Triple Threat trait, all Reaction Rolls against them
The Opponent is a littling or group of littlings. The will have a Difficulty level of 3 Basic.
Narrator can tailor these Opponents by giving them
additional Traits depending on their native Folk. Unreachable
Fairy Opponents can fly as if they had the Flying The Opponent has long resistant legs, or they crawl
Trait. Characters shooting at flying Faeries always gain on the walls while keeping at a safe distance. As such,
+1 to their roll. they may be hit only by weapons with range or melee
Boggart Opponents can go juggernaut when reaching weapons with reach, as if they had the Flying Trait.
their last Crucial Box. When they do this, they
immediately gain the Large and Hardened Shell Traits. Venomous
Sluagh and Undine Opponents can ignore a single The Opponent secretes a highly toxic or venomous
successful attack. substance. Characters who fail to roll at least one Basic
Success on their Reaction Turn immediately suffer the
Poisoned Condition.

r 279 s
 Weak Spot GENERATING A WEAK SPOT
When you find the Opponent’s Weak Spot, the
All Opponents look mighty and fearsome, but even Narrator rolls a numeric die to randomly choose the
then, they have Weak Spots, something you can take Weak Spot Table they will use. Then, they roll the die
advantage of to gain the upper hand. again to choose one of the 6 Weak Spots on that table,
Maybe your enemies are confused or scared, maybe and reveal the result to the Player who found the Weak
there is something nearby that you can use to throw a Spot.
spanner in their works. All’s fair in war!

To find an Opponent’s Weak Spot you can:

Z
I can’t defeat you all,
Ӵ Make an Action Roll in Investigation +
but I can do three or four.
War with Difficulty equal to the Opponent’s Who’s first?
Difficulty.
Ӵ Use a relevant Move like the Duelist Lazarus Malachiorre
Move Cunning Tactics, or the Hunter Move
Sharp Eye, which allow you to find the Z
Opponent’s Weak Spot without needing to Each Weak Spot grants +1 to a single roll or gives you
roll the dice and without using your action. a chance to attempt a flashy maneuver to your advan-
tage. The Player who discovers the Weak Spot is free
Always remember that each Opponent can have only to choose whether to use their next action to exploit it,
one Weak Spot, and that this advantage can only be or to relay the information to a friend and let them do
exploited once. the honors.
Either way, only one Character may attempt to take
advantage of a Weak Spot, and they can only do so
once.
Pictured, from left to right:
A gendarme, a soldier, a captain, a honor
guard, a golden back, and a captain of the
golden backs.

r 280 s
 WEAK SPOTS I - II
I The Opponent’s footing is precarious. You can attack with Strength +1.
II The Opponent is wounded. You gain +1 to attack with sharpened weapons.
III You can cause a collapse or chain reaction with a roll in Culture + Street. If you’re successful, the
Opponent fills in 2 Stress boxes.
IIII You can lead the Opponent to a bottleneck. The Opponent won’t be able to make their next Move.
V The Opponent’s flank is exposed. You can attack with Dexterity +1.
VI There is an unstable structure nearby you can knock over by rolling Craft + War. If you’re successful,
the Opponent fills in 2 Stress boxes.

WEAK SPOTS III - IIII

I The Opponent is stuck or their movement hampered. Everyone gains +1 to their next Reaction Roll.
II The Opponent is scared or agitated. You can attack with Will +1.
III The Opponent is confused. You gain +1 to all rolls made to leave combat.
IIII The Opponent has a blind spot. You can attack with Elusion +1.
V You can cause something to fall on the Opponent with a roll in Shoot + War. If you’re successful, the
Opponent fills in 2 Stress boxes.
VI The Opponent’s back is to the wall. A Character can use their action to deal 1 Stress without rolling
the dice.

WEAK SPOTS V - VI
I The Opponent’s position is exposed. You can attack with Shoot +1.
II There are littlings or smaller beasts you can set against the Opponent by rolling Authority + Society.
If you’re successful, the Opponent fills in 2 Stress boxes.
III The Opponent isn’t exactly bright. You can attack with Insight +1.
IIII You can lead the Opponent to a trap by rolling Investigation + Street. If you’re successful, your group
can skip the next Reaction Turn.
V There’s a ledge you can use to swing and jump. You can attack with Grace +1.
VI You have a perfect read on the Opponent. You gain a Joker.

r 281 s
Roaches m b asic opponent
Stress:

Moves: They Just Keep Coming!

Traits: Beast, Nimble
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Triple Threat, Filthy

Actions:
I - The roaches come at you biting and scratching. React with Fight.
II - The roaches’ wings flutter in the most disgusting way. React with Will.
III - The roaches jump onto you to push you down. React with Strength.
IIII - The roaches grab onto your clothes or weapons. React with Dexterity.
V - The roaches size you up, ready to jump at the first move. React with Caution.
VI - The roaches look at you with blank, beady eyes. They don’t attack.

Roaches are small and annoying insects that usually attack in large numbers. They mainly live close to the
Inbetweens and in the darkest corners of the House.
Roaches usually sneak up their prey, taking advantage of their quick movements to catch the enemy off-guard
and swarm them. They feed on mushrooms and molds, but also eat the carcasses of larger animals and insects.
They only attack littlings when they feel their hunting grounds are being threatened.

They Just Keep Coming!: Roll a numeric die. Odd: the roaches have been defeated or chased off. Even: a
new group of roaches arrives and the combat resumes from the start.

r 282 s
Hooligans m b asic opponent
Stress:

Moves: All the Way, Guys!

Traits: Littling
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Triple Threat

Actions:
I - The hooligans attack you as a group. React with Fight.
II - The hooligans try to get a rise out of you with insults. React with Will.
III - The hooligans throw sand grains and nailtips at you. React with Elusion.
IIII - The hooligans jump on you, trying to push you to the ground. React with Strength.
V - The hooligans charge at you headfirst. React with Athletics.
VI - The hooligans give you the stink eye, waiting for your next move. They don’t attack.

Hooligans are littlings with a fiery temper, who don’t really need a reason to come to blows. Whether they
are brawl-happy drunkards, small-time criminals, or honest citizens who are having a bad day, hooligans are
just looking for an excuse to start a fight. Luckily they are never armed, maybe with the exception of some
improvised clubs and hidden brass knuckles... You know, just in case.

All the Way, Boys!: The hooligans call for reinforcements or egg each-other on. From now on, all
Characters who suffer Stress on their Reaction Turn, also suffer 1 additional Stress.

Gendarmes m b asic opponent

Stress:

Moves: Stop them!

Traits: Littling, Double Trouble
Optional Traits: Armed, Triple Threat, Shooters

Actions:
I - The gendarmes attack you with their batons and cutlery. React with Fight.
II - The gendarmes try to surround you. React with Caution.
III - The gendarmes grab and pull at you. React with Strength.
IIII - The gendarmes puff in their whistle to call for reinforcements. React with Will.
V - The gendarmes try to grab you. React with Elusion.
VI - The gendarmes scatter without really doing anything. They don’t attack.

Gendarmes are littlings tasked with upholding law and order in the various cities and towns of the House. In
the Realm, they wear light green uniform and are members of the Royal Gendarmerie, while in the Freedomes
they wear dark red jackets. In the Hearth they are agents with light blue shirts and answer directly to sheriffs of
the Hearth Army, and in the Horde they are known as Militia and wear mustard-colored jackets.
Some gendarmes are armed with batons, half-scissors, and pistols; others with muskets and bayonets.

Stop them!: The gendarmes try to stop you or shoot at you. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction
Roll in Elusion + War suffer -1 to their next roll.

r 283 s
Wasps m b asic opponent
Stress:

Moves: War Buzz

Traits: Beast, Double Trouble, Flying
Optional Traits: Venomous

Actions:
I - The wasps attack you with their stingers. React with Elusion.
II - The wasps grab you and try to pull you up in the air. React with Strength.
III - The wasps buzz loudly trying to confuse you. React with Insight.
IIII - The wasps come at you trying to bite you. React with Fight.
V - The wasps dive down, trying to slam into you. React with Athletics.
VI - The wasps fly around you, studying your moves. They don’t attack.

Wasps are violent and territorial creatures. They hang around beehives hunting out bees and trying to steal
their honey. Wasps will attack on sight anyone who makes too much noise or looks threatening and they are
especially tough to face. Their stingers are as sharp as needles.
When flying, wasps emit a loud buzzing sound that makes them easy to spot. As such, they usually try to
sneak up their prey from above by scampering on mushrooms or other raised surfaces.

War Buzz: The wasps unleash a powerful and deafening buzz that makes even thinking hard. Until the end
of combat, you can no longer play Aces for any reason.

r 284 s
Earwigs m b asic opponent
Stress:

Moves: Pinch, then Pile On, then Pile On, then Pile On, then Pile On.
Traits: Beast, Triple Threat, Large
Optional Traits: Nimble, Filthy

Actions:
I - The earwigs repeatedly attack you with their tails. React with Elusion.
II - The earwigs shake their tail, but then bite at you. React with Insight.
III - The earwigs attack you with teeth and pincers. React with Fight.
IIII - The earwigs sweep at your feet with their tails. React with Athletics.
V - The earwigs repeatedly thump their tails on the ground. React with Grace.
VI - The Earwigs jump on you to bite you. React with Strength.

Earwigs are large insects almost as tall as a littling, their tail looks like a set of pincers, and they use it to
clamp down on their prey. They usually attack in small groups and are very aggressive, but rarely venture far
from their lair unless they have no other option. On top of that, they are perfectly capable of walking on any
vertical surface.

Pinch: The earwigs clack their tails. React with Grace + War. Characters who fail become Hurt.
Pile On: The earwigs pile on the weakest prey in sight. The Character with the highest level of Stress imme-
diately suffers 1 Stress. If this makes them Overstressed or forces them to Bow Out, the Move gets repeated.

Centipede m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Encircle
Traits: Beast, Large, Venomous, Crawling
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Hardened Shell

Actions:
I - The centipede rams violently against you. React with Strength.
II - The centipede stabs at you with a myriad of pointed legs. React with Fight.
III - The centipede quickly slithers between you. React with Athletics.
IIII - The centipede thrashes about, causing a small earthquake. React with Grace.
V - The centipede circles around you and pounces suddenly. React with Caution.
VI - The centipede unleashes a terrifying and deafening scream. React with Will.

Centipedes are among the most dangerous creatures in the House. They have dozen upon dozens of clawed,
venomous legs. Luckily they mostly live in the Inbetweens or next to the Walls. Despite their size, they can
walk on walls and crawl silently on any surface to ambush their prey. Unfortunately, on the extremely long list
of prey targeted by centipedes, there are also littlings.

Encircle: The centipede crawls around the group in a whirl. All Characters suffer -1 to their next
Reaction Roll.

r 285 s
Duelists m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Parry or Disarm or Fluster

Traits: Littling, Armed, Nimble, Counter-attack
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Hard to Kill

Actions:
I - The duelists make a series of quick thrusts. React with Elusion.
II - The duelists attempt a feint. React with Insight.
III - The duelists try to throw you off balance. React with Grace.
IIII - The duelists come at you cutting and lunging. React with Fight.
V - The duelists hold their attacks, waiting for you to lower your guard. React with Caution.
VI - The duelists cross blades with you. React with Dexterity.

Overbold adventurers looking to make a name for themselves, nobles who devoted their lives to the fencing
arts, or silent assassins with lethal techniques, duelists are fearsome and unpredictable opponents. Whenever
they reach their Crucial Box, the Narrator can choose, either freely or randomly, which of their Moves to use.

Parry: The duelists ignore the next successful attack against them.
Disarm: The duelists disarm the Character who made them fill in the Crucial Box.
Fluster: The duelists mock the Characters, try to undo their pants, pull their hats on their faces, or embar-
rass them by getting in their way. React with Grace + War. Characters who fail become Embarrassed.

Scouts m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Surround
Traits: Littling, Shooters, Unreachable, Counter-attack
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Triple Threat, Barrage, Hard to Kill, Nimble

Actions:
I - The scouts shoot from every direction, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
II - The scouts lay a trap for you. React with Insight.
III - The scouts go quiet. Then they take precisely aimed shots. React with Caution.
IIII - The scouts target you with ranged weapons. React with Elusion.
V - The scouts try to surround you. React with Caution.
VI - The scouts vanish into thin air, then attack from every direction. React with Will.

Scouts are littlings gifted with sharp eyes and ears. They are employed by law enforcement, wealthy citizens,
and sometimes even brigands, to keep an eye on a region and patrol the perimeter. When doing reconnais-
sance, scouts usually act in small groups and move stealthily to locate and surround their target. Some take
defensive position, finding a protected perch.

Surround: Scouts scatter and surround the group. React with Caution + Street. Characters who fail become
Confused. If they are already Confused, they become Scared.

r 286 s
Soldiers m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Storm
Traits: Littling, Armed
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Triple Threat, Shooters, Barrage, Hard to Kill, Armored

Actions:
I - The soldiers grab or tackle you. React with Strength.
II - The soldiers play dirty, or try to trap you. React with Insight.
III - The soldiers attack you with drawn weapons. React with Fight.
IIII - The soldiers shoot at you. React with Elusion.
V - The soldiers try to surround you. React with Caution.
VI - The soldiers shout and push you around with their weapons. React with Will.

Soldiers are the beating heart of the army, they usually patrol the frontiers and wild lands, or defend import-
ant and relevant areas of big cities. The main Household military forces are the Great Imperial Army (tasked
with territorial control and with maintaining order throughout the House), the Hearth Army, the Porcelain
Army of the Free Dominions, and the Horde Army. Soldiers wear reinforced jackets or light cuirasses with
the colors and symbols of their nation, and they usually use polearms, one handed weapons, pistols, and
muskets.

Storm: The soldiers won’t give up so easily. From now on, characters who fail to roll at least one Basic
Success on their Reaction Turn immediately become Tired. If they are already Tired, they become Hurt.

r 287 s
Common Spider m critical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Cobweb Volley, then Cobweb Volley

Traits: Beast, Large, Cobweb
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Nimble, Venomous, Unreachable

Actions:
I - The spider causes a tremor or small collapse. React with Grace.
II - The spider attacks from above with its legs. React with Elusion.
III - The spider dashes and attacks suddenly. React with Insight.
IIII - The spider circles around you and tries to put your backs to the wall. React with Caution.
V - The spider stares at you with its too many eyes and clicking chelicerae. React with Will.
VI - The spider attacks you with its front legs. React with Fight.

Eight legs that can move on any surface, the ability to shoot sticky cobwebs, and an unspecified number of
eyes. This, is the recipe for the most fearsome and feared beast in the House.
There are several species of common spiders, each with a different shape and coloring, but they all share
the ability to move with unbelievable stealth, the tendency to lay dangerous ambushes, and the unfortunate
predilection for littling-based meals.

Cobweb Volley: In rapid succession, the spider targets all Characters with its cobweb. Characters who
don’t pass a Critical Reaction Roll in Elusion + War are trapped. See the Cobweb Trait.

r 288 s
Hornets m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: War Buzz, then Dust Cloud

Traits: Beast, Large, Flying, Venomous.
Optional Traits: Double Trouble, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The hornets target your with their stingers. React with Elusion.
II - The hornets grab you and try to pull you up in the air. React with Strength.
III - The hornets get into formation and attack you with cunning. React with Insight.
IIII - The hornets dive down, trying to slam into you. React with Athletics.
V - The hornets buzz loudly trying to confuse you. React with Caution.
VI - The hornets grab onto you and try to strike you. React with Dexterity.

Wasps already look like evil incarnate with wings, and yet there are even worse, more conniving, beasts.
Hornets behave much like their “little cousins”, but they are much larger, much more irritable, and much
more dangerous to face. Nevertheless, they are still a protected species.

War Buzz: The hornets unleash a powerful and deafening buzz that makes even thinking hard. Until the
end of combat, you can no longer play Aces for any reason.
Dust Cloud: The hornets fly around the Characters and raise a dust cloud. The Narrator rolls a numeric
die for every Character. Even: that Character is now Blinded.

Beetle m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Impact, then Impact

Traits: Beast, Large, Double Trouble, Hardened Shell
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Huge, Shield

Actions:
I - The beetle tries to hit you with its horn. React with Elusion.
II - The beetle crashes into you. React with Strength.
III - The beetle attacks you with its jaws or horns. React with Fight.
IIII - The beetle charges at you. React with Athletics.
V - The beetle goes into a rage, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
VI - The beetle snorts and flutters its wings. React with Will.

There are a myriad species of beetles in the house. The larger ones, like the stag beetle, or the Dasewer
rhinoceros beetle, have been used as guard animals and mounts since ancient times. However, there are also
wild beetles, and they can prove very aggressive toward littlings. This is especially true for doodlebugs: huge,
aggressive beetles unanimously recognized as wild animals you never want to run into.

Impact: The beetle charges, crashing into you. Characters who don’t pass an Extreme Reaction Roll in
Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Broken.

r 289 s
Lizard m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Tail Whip, then Getaway

Traits: Beast, Large, Double Trouble, Nimble
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Huge, Filthy, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The lizard strikes at you with its tongue or throws debris with its tail. React with Elusion.
II - The lizard studiously waits your next move, then strikes. React with Insight.
III - The lizard jumps on you. React with Athletics.
IIII - The lizard forces you to jump around to avoid its tail. React with Grace.
V - The lizard shakes its tail to raise a dust cloud, then lunges suddenly. React with Caution.
VI - The lizard tries to maul your arms. React with Dexterity.

Despite being large reptiles, lizards are incredibly nimble, and can walk on walls with extreme ease. They are
native to the Kashab Desert, where some even use them as mounts, but can be found throughout the House.

Tail Whip: A quick swipe of the tail. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War
fall to the ground. Characters on the ground must use their action to stand back up. Until they do, they suffer
-1 to all rolls.
Getaway: The lizard drops its tail and runs away. A Character who hasn’t had their turn yet may make
a Reaction Roll in Investigation + Street to notice this trick. If they succeed, they can choose whether to
resume combat or let the lizard escape. If they fail, everyone becomes Confused and the lizard escapes.

Cuirassiers m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Defensive Formation

Traits: Littling, Armed, Double Trouble, Hard to Kill, Armored
Optional Traits: Shooters, Shield

Actions:
I - The cuirassiers raise their shields and push you back. React with Strength.
II - The cuirassiers attack you head-on. React with Fight.
III - The cuirassiers try to scatter you. React with Insight.
IIII - The cuirassiers keep you at a distance with their spears. React with Athletics.
V - The cuirassiers try to surround you. React with Caution.
VI - The cuirassiers make quick thrusts with their spears. React with Dexterity.

Some gendarmes and soldiers wear heavy armor and helmets with the symbols of their army. Cuirassiers are
employed to protect important targets or to make searches, and they always move in groups. They prefer
polearms or two handed weapons, and sometimes have armored shooters in their group.

Defensive Formation: The cuirassiers come shoulder to shoulder. From now on, Characters have -1 to all
Action Rolls made to attack.

r 290 s
Rat m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Tail Whip, then Rage

Traits: Beast, Huge, Double Trouble, Filthy
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The rat attacks you with its fangs and claws. React with Fight.
II - The rat slams you against the ground or wall. React with Strength.
III - The rat tries to furiously chomp on you. React with Dexterity.
IIII - The rat whips the air with its tail and claws, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
V - The rat bares its fangs, then strikes with the tail. React with Insight.
VI - The rat makes terrifying growls and squeaks. React with Will.

Rats look much like hugely overgrown mice with long, muscly tails. However, they have very little in com-
mon with their noble cousins.
Unlike mice, rats hunt littlings and are impossible to train, with the exception of few, tamer, breeds. These
beasts are a real pain for hunters, as they threaten the natural balance of any hunting ground they reach. They
have been known to sometimes even venture into towns to find food.

Tail Whip: A quick swipe of the tail threatens to knock down the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a
Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War fall to the ground. Characters on the ground must use their action to
stand back up. Until they do, they suffer -1 to all rolls.
Rage: The hair on the back of the rat stands up as it hisses. From now on, Characters have -1 to all Action
Rolls made to attack.

r 291 s
Large Spider m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Cobweb Volley (or Slam), then Pile On, then Cobweb Volley (or Slam), then Pile On
Traits: Beast, Huge, Double Trouble
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Hardened Shell, Cobweb, Venomous, Filthy, Counter-attack, Unreachable

Actions:
I - The large spider attacks from above with its legs. React with Elusion.
II - The large spider thrashes about causing a collapse, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
III - The large spider attacks you with its front legs. React with Fight.
IIII - The large spider causes a tremor or small collapse. React with Grace.
V - The large spider circles around you and tries to put your backs to the wall. React with Caution.
VI - The large spider stares at your with its too many eyes and clicking chelicerae. React with Will.

As if common spiders weren’t enough, the House is also home to too many large spiders, hiding in their lairs
in the Inbetweens.
Tarantulas (Cobweb, Venomous) are huge, hairy arachnids that roam the lands of the Horde, camouflaging
with the rusted walls of the Basement. Wolf Spiders (Hardened Shell, Counter-attack), on the other hand,
are unusually strong beasts. Luckily they at least produce no cobwebs. They only live in Pinewood and in
mushrooms forests, where they love to lay lethal ambushes.

Cobweb Volley: In rapid succession, the spider targets all Characters with it cobweb. Characters who don’t
pass a Critical Reaction Roll in Elusion + War are trapped. See the Cobweb Trait.
Slam: The spider uses its huge body to ram into the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction
Roll in Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Tired. If they are already Tired,
they become Broken.
Pile On: The spider focuses on the weakest prey in sight. The Character with the highest level of Stress im-
mediately suffers 1 Stress. If this makes them Overstressed or forces them to Bow Out, the Move gets repeated.

r 292 s
Honor Guard m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Defensive Formation, then Storm

Traits: Littling, Armed, Double Trouble, Hard to Kill, Armored, Shield, Shooters
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Counter-attack, Barrage

Actions:
I - The honor guard raise their shields and push you back. React with Strength.
II - The honor guard keep you at a distance with their spears. React with Athletics.
III - The honor guard try to surround you. React with Caution.
IIII - The honor guard shout orders and get into formation. React with Will.
V - The honor guard attack you head-on. React with Fight.
VI - The honor guard shoot at you with two alternating lines, you must find cover. React with Investigation.

Only the most skillful littlings are chosen to become part of an honor guard. These littlings wear showy sets
of heavy armor, always shined and oiled, and act as escorts for nobles, ambassadors, and officers. The most
protected places in the House, like the Highlight palace or the house of the Caliph in Al Sehir, are always
guarded by groups of these littlings, who carry tall shields with the emblem of their nation.
Defensive Formation: The soldiers of the honor guard come shoulder to shoulder. From now on,
Characters have -1 to the Action Rolls made to attack.
Storm: The soldiers of the honor guard won’t give up so easily. From now on, Characters who fail to roll at least
one Basic Success on their Reaction Turn immediately become Tired. If they are already Tired, they become Hurt.

Master Duelists m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Parry or Disarm or Fluster or Pile On

Traits: Littling, Armed, Double Trouble, Hard to Kill, Nimble, Counter-attack
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Shooters

Actions:
I - The master duelists make a series of quick thrusts. React with Elusion.
II - The master duelists press hot on your heels. React with Will.
III - The master duelists jump above you, attacking from mid-air. React with Athletics.
IIII - The master duelists attempt a feint. React with Insight.
V - The master duelists cross blades with you. React with Dexterity.
VI - The master duelists try to throw you off balance. React with Grace.

Extremely high-ranking officers, masters from fencing academies, and silent assassins ready to fight to their
last breath. Whenever the master duelists reach their Crucial Box, the Narrator can choose, either freely or
randomly, which Move they use.
Parry: The duelists ignore the next successful attack against them.
Disarm: The duelists disarm the Character who made them fill in the Crucial Box.
Fluster: The duelists mock the Characters, they try to undo their pants, pull their hats on their faces, or
embarrass them by getting in their way. React with Grace + War. Characters who fail become Embarrassed.
Pile On: The duelists focus on the weakest fighter. The Character with the highest level of Stress immedi-
ately suffers 1 Stress. If this makes them Overstressed or forces them to Bow Out, the Move gets repeated.

r 293 s
Spurred Centipede m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Encircle, then Slam, then Spiral

Traits: Beast, Huge, Double Trouble, Shield, Venomous, Crawling
Optional Traits: Triple Threat, Hardened Shell, Counter-attack, Unreachable

Actions:
I - The spurred centipede slithers around you and tries to constrict you. React with Elusion.
II - The spurred centipede stabs at you with a myriad of pointed legs. React with Fight.
III - The spurred centipede thrashes about, causing a small earthquake. React with Grace.
IIII - The spurred centipede circles around you and pounces suddenly. React with Caution.
V - The spurred centipede unleashes a terrifying and deafening scream. React with Will.
VI - The spurred centipede causes a collapse, you must find cover. React with Investigation.

The spurred is an especially large species of centipede, characterized by a black, opaque color and hard spurs
on their legs. These huge beasts are fortunately hard to find, as they build their nests only in the depths of the
Inbetweens and in some of the most dangerous places of the House.

Encircle: The centipede crawls around the group in a whirl. All Characters suffer -1 to their next Reaction
Roll.
Slam: The centipede rams violently against the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction
Roll in Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Tired. If they are already Tired,
they become Broken.
Spiral: The centipede coils into a spiral. All Characters suffer -1 to their next Action Roll.

r 294 s
Pride of the Realm
The most noble, most decorated faeries have a
chance to renew their Hereditary Contract in a
solemn ritual that takes place in the shade of the
Great Window. Thanks to this ritual, they gain the
gift of True Flight: the ability to fly without lim-
itations and at great speed. The best among them
also receive a precious set of armor made from
golden chafer, with elytra that protect their wings
without impeding their flight.
These blond knights, called as such after the
color of the plumes on their helmets, are the pride
of the Realm and represents the main assault force
of the Great Imperial Army. They are usually em-
ployed in defense of the airspace near Highlight
and in the Outhold, but they can also be put in
charge of small groups of soldiers in any nation
of the House. Thanks to the Astraviya Treaty, the
Golden Backs now have more decisional power
than any other officer in any other army of the
Household, with the exception of generals.

Golden Backs m critical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Storm, High Altitude, Tailspin, To the End

Traits: Littling, Armed, Hard to Kill, Double Trouble, Armored, Nimble, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The golden backs cross swords with you. React with Dexterity.
II - The golden backs fly in circles around you and lunge suddenly. React with Insight.
III - The golden backs attack you with their cocktail spears. React with Fight.
IIII - The golden backs attack with quick acrobatic strikes. React with Grace -1.
V - The golden backs fly toward you at top speed. React with Elusion.
VI - The golden backs take to the air and dive at you suddenly. React with Caution.

Storm: The golden backs get into attack formation. From now on, Characters who fail to roll at least one
Basic Success on their Reaction Turn immediately become Tired. If they are already Tired, they become Hurt.
High Altitude: The golden backs take to the air. They are within range to be hit only for ranged weapons,
firearms, and flying Faeries. When attacked, the Characters may counter-attack with melee weapons as well.
Tailspin: The golden backs make a spiraling maneuver and then dive to attack the Characters. Then they
return to high altitude. Characters who don’t pass an Extreme Reaction Roll in Athletics + War become
Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Broken.
To the End: The golden backs land and unsheathe their twin half-scissors. They lose the Double Trouble
Trait and from now on, they are an Extreme Opponent.

r 295 s
Janissaries m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Red Fury, then Rusted Blood, then Revenant

Traits: Littling, Armed, Hard to Kill, Triple Threat, Shield, Armored, Shooters, Counter-attack, Rust

Actions:
I - The janissaries draw their pistols and shoot at you. React with Elusion.
II - The janissaries attack you with rusted cogpesh. React with Fight.
III - The janissaries point their weapons at you and slowly close in. React with Caution.
IIII - The janissaries spread shards of red rust with every move. React with Will -1.
V - The janissaries jump toward you in an acrobatic maneuver. React with Grace.
VI - The janissaries cross their cogpesh with your weapons. React with Dexterity.

The Horde Army picks the best sluagh among their ranks so that they may join the Janissaries corp. These
littlings are led to the Red Spring, where Skullrider Vaqaard has them enter a Rusted Contract. Thus,
janissaries gain the ability to use rusted weapons and armor without being affected by the disease in them.
They then go on to serve to protect either the capital or an Emir. Whenever they are not wearing their rusted
armor, they can be recognized by the thin coppery veins visible under their skin.

Red Fury: The janissaries call on the power of rust and enter a state of fury. From now on, Characters have
-1 to all Action Rolls made to attack.
Rusted Blood: Rust flows through the veins of the janissaries, healing their every wound. The janissaries
can suffer no more Stress this turn.
Revenant: By the power of rust, the janissaries shake off their pain. Whenever the janissaries should suffer 1
Stress, the Narrator rolls a numeric die. Even: the janissaries suffer no Stress.

r 296 s
Cinder Knights m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Spin Attack, then Juggernaut

Traits: Littling, Armed, Double Trouble, Heavily Armored

Actions:
I - The knights quickly change their grip and attack you with great force. React with Caution.
II - The knights unleash a war-cry that echoes from their helmets. React with Will.
III - The knights strike powerful blows with their ceremonial keys and great-scissors. React with Fight.
IIII - The knights throw their spinning weapons at you, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
V - The knights charge at you headfirst. React with Athletics.
VI - The knights push you against the wall or to the ground. React with Strength -1.

Only the most valiant boggarts can endure the grueling training in Cinderhall and become Knights. These
warrior monks devoted to protecting the Hearth can rely on an Ashen Contract which grants them the right
to wear adorned armor that would melt into ashes in the hands of any other littling.
Spin Attack: The knights spin their weapons. Characters who fail a Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War fall
to the ground. Fallen Characters must use their action to stand back up. Until they do, they suffer -1 to all rolls.
Juggernaut: The knights go juggernaut, and their legendary cinder armor grows to fit their enlarged bodies. They
lose the Double Trouble Trait and from now on, they are an Extreme Opponent and they gain the Large Trait.

Porcelain Infantry m c ritical opponent

Stress:

Moves: Charge, then Defensive Formation, then Charge, then Water Retention
Traits: Littling, Armed, Double Trouble, Heavily Armored, Shooters, Barrage

Actions:
I - The infantry shoot at you with two alternating lines, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
II - The infantry attack you with double-bitted keys and razors. React with Fight.
III - The infantry clash against you, pushing you with their shoulders. React with Strength.
IIII - The infantry get in formation and hold their attack until your flank is exposed. React with Caution.
V - The infantry charge at you with weapons drawn. React with Athletics -1.
VI - The infantry attempt a maneuver to scatter you. React with Insight.

The infantry are the elite corps of the Porcelain Army of the Free Dominions and, traditionally, they are
all undines. They proudly wear pearly white sets of armor made with the porcelain mined in the quarry of
the Great Bowl, an extremely hard material polished by the incessant flow of water. The infantry use heavy
weapons and double-bitted keys, but they are just as famous for their precision with muskets.
Charge: The porcelain infantry charges at you with keys and bayonets. Characters who don’t pass a Critical
Reaction Roll in Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Broken.
Defensive Formation: The porcelain infantry get in formation. From now on, Characters have -1 to all
Action Rolls made to attack.
Water Retention: The porcelain infantry sweat profusely, shrugging off their wounds and exhaustion. The
porcelain infantry can suffer no more Stress this turn.

r 297 s
 Golden Silk Vest
Anyone who manages to best a golden silk orbwe-
aver can use its precious web to fashion a shiny and
resistant vest out of it.
But all that glitters is not gold, and the only
golden silk that has any value is the one which
hasn’t been woven yet, the one you can only extract
directly from the beast.
To remove the shining sack containing this pre-
cious silk takes time, and transporting it requires
extreme caution because even the smallest tear
could ruin it.
A capable tailor will ask for 10 coins and one
month to transform the shining threads into a tai-
lored dueling vest. This garment embroidered to
look like cobwebs shines like gold.

The Golden Silk Vest grants the benefits of Partial

Cover, with none of the Hindrances.

Golden Silk
Orbweaver m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Cobweb Volley, then Cobweb Volley, then Lash, then Cobweb Volley, then Lash
Traits: Beast, Huge, Triple Threat, Golden Cobweb, Unreachable, Venomous

Actions:
I - The spider scampers on the wall and creates a tremor in its web. React with Grace.
II - The spider quickly strikes at you with its legs. React with Dexterity.
III - The spider vanishes for a few seconds... Then lunges out of thin air. React with Caution.
IIII - The spider jumps on you. React with Athletics.
V - The spider dashes around you. Then it attacks. React with Insight.
VI - The spider hurls a cobweb projectile toward you. React with Elusion -1.

The golden silk orbweaver is an exotic beast that has arrived from Farbeyond by following the Sluagh on
the day of Samhain. It was named after its ability to spin an extremely hard web that looks like a golden net.
These extremely rare spiders love to stay hidden and attack littlings from a distance while they hold back
on their webs. The most famous orbweaver in the House is Mammon, a spider who can offer the Goldthirst
Contract.

Cobweb Volley: In rapid succession, the spider targets all Characters with it cobweb. Characters who don’t
pass a Critical Reaction Roll in Elusion + War are trapped. See the Golden Cobweb Trait.
Lash: The spider shakes its web. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War fall to
the ground. Characters on the ground must use their action to stand back up. Until they do, they suffer -1 to
all rolls.

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Net Casting Spider m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Cobweb Trap, then Cobweb Trap, then Pile On

Traits: Beast, Huge, Triple Threat, Cobweb, Venomous, Nimble, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The spider crashes into you, trying to push you to the ground. React with Strength.
II - The spider attacks with its long legs. React with Fight.
III - The spider vanishes in the darkness, then lunges toward you. React with Caution -1.
IIII - The spider runs toward you, then jumps on you. React with Athletics.
V - The spider repeatedly strikes as it moves forward. React with Dexterity.
VI - The spider hurls cobweb projectiles toward you. React with Elusion.

The net casting spider is slim and silent. It has the terrible habit of laying elaborate traps made to measure
for littlings. These beasts have been the cause of many mysterious disappearances in the furthest corners of
the House. They can weave webs that look like nets and hold them in their front legs to suddenly envelop
their prey. The most famous arachnid of this kind is the Fog Giant from Pinewood. A creature so silent, it
can even grant a Neverheard Contract.

Cobweb Trap: The spider weaves a cobweb net and uses it to trap the Characters. Characters who don’t
pass a Extreme Reaction Roll in Caution + War are trapped. See the Cobweb Trait.
Pile On: The spider focuses on the weakest prey in sight. The Character with the highest level of Stress im-
mediately suffers 1 Stress. If this makes them Overstressed or forces them to Bow Out, the Move gets repeated.

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Giant
Centipede’s Tail m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Encircle, then Slam, then Slap, then Slam, then Slap, then Things Get Serious
Traits: Beast, Giant, Double Trouble, Crawling, Counter-attack, Venomous

Actions:
I - The centipede causes a collapse with its tail, you must find cover. React with Investigation.
II - The centipede shakes its tail left and right. React with Caution.
III - The centipede shakes its tail, causing an earthquake. React with Grace.
IIII - The centipede uses its tail to swipe at you. React with Athletics -1.
V - The centipede shakes its tail covered in venomous legs. React with Will.
VI - The centipede slithers around you, trying to constrict you with its tail. React with Elusion.

Encircle: The giant centipede crawls around the group in a whirl. All Characters suffer -1 to their next
Reaction Roll.
Slam: The giant centipede violently rams its tail against the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a Critical
Reaction Roll in Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they become Tired. If they are
already Tired, they become Broken.
Slap: A powerful blow of the tail blasts the Characters away. Characters who don’t pass a Critical Reaction
Roll in Caution + War get disarmed and thrown out of combat. They’ll need an entire turn to return in
melee.
Things Get Serious: The Characters managed to wound the giant centipede enough to make it angry.
The giant centipede falls on them, ready to fight with its full strength. Characters who don’t pass a Extreme
Reaction Roll in Will + War become Scared and suffer -1 to their next roll.
Then, go to Giant Centipede.

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Gian Centipede m e xtreme opponent
Stress:

Moves: Grand Slam   Traits: Beast, Giant, Crawling, Venomous

Actions:
I - The centipede constricts you in its coils. React with Strength.
II - The centipede attacks you with its many hooked legs. React with Fight.
III - The centipede grabs your legs and arms with its many legs. React with Dexterity -1.
IIII - The centipede crashes about, causing rubble and dust to fall. React with Caution.
V - The centipede looks at you with an empty stare, then descends on you. React with Insight.
VI - The centipede tries to surround you with its coils. React with Elusion.

The giant centipede well earned its name by being one of the largest creatures in the entire House. It
normally inhabits the damp depths of the Inbetweens, but there have been sightings of giant centipedes in
Dreadwood and in the Kashab Desert, an alarming piece of news that brought together many scientists to
search for a solution. None has been found yet. Facing this centipede is an insane feat, appealing only to
hunters who really love strong emotions or the feeling of being chewed. Giant centipedes have more legs
than anyone can count, probably more than any living being should reasonably have on their body, and they
use them all to attack viciously. If you were wondering, each of these legs drips with venom, obviously.
The most famous giant centipede in the House is “little” Bismilla, who escaped from Viscount Protopopolov’s
Zoological Garden. This beast is so conceited that it has the power to grant the Vainglory Contract.
Grand Slam: The giant centipede uses its huge body to violently charge against the Characters. Characters
who don’t pass an Extreme Reaction Roll in Athletics + War become Hurt. If they are already Hurt, they
become Broken.

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Legs of the
Huntsman Spider m c ritical opponent
Stress:

Moves: Stomp, then Stomp, then Stomp, then Things Get Serious
Traits: Beast, Giant, Double Trouble, Cobweb, Venomous, Shield

Actions:
I - The spider stomps its legs and causes a tremor or collapse. React with Grace.
II - The spider’s legs thrash about causing a collapse , you must find cover. React with Investigation -1.
III - The spider hits you with its legs, trying to push you to the ground. React with Strength.
IIII - The spider attacks with its long legs. React with Fight.
V - The spider kicks you away with its legs. React with Athletics.
VI - The spider tries to crush you by quickly moving its legs. React with Elusion.

Stomp: One of the huge legs of the huntsman spiders falls on the Characters. Characters who don’t pass a
Critical Reaction Roll in Grace + War fall to the ground. Characters on the ground must use their action to
stand back up. Until they do, they suffer -1 to all rolls.
Things Get Serious: The Characters managed to wound the huntsman spider enough to make it angry.
The huntsman spider falls on them, ready to fight with its full strength. Characters who don’t pass an
Extreme Reaction Roll in Will + War become Scared and suffer -1 to their next roll.
Then, go to Huntsman Spider.

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Black Husk Armor
Littlings valiant enough to fell a huntsman spider can then use its precious husk to forge a unique set of heavy
armor.

Removing the husk from the beast’s carcass is a complex operation that requires several hours and steady hands.
Once removed, the husk is so large and heavy that you’ll need a cart or carriage to move it.
After you bring the husk to an armorer, they’ll ask for 10 coins and one month time to fabricate a single set
of armor made to measure.

The Black Husk Armor grants all the benefits of heavy armor, with none of the Hindrances.

Huntsman Spider m e xtreme opponent

Stress:

Moves: Cobweb Storm

Traits: Beast, Giant, Venomous, Filthy, Counter-attack

Actions:
I - The spider stares at you from above with its thousand beady eyes. React with Will.
II - The spider attacks you with all its legs. React with Fight -1.
III - The spider hurls cobweb projectiles toward you. React with Elusion.
IIII - The spider repeatedly strikes as it moves forward. React with Dexterity.
V - The spider slams into you with all of its weight. React with Strength.
VI - The spider tries to trap you between its legs. React with Caution.

The name of “huntsman spider” alone makes one thing clear: nothing hunts these creatures. But if you still
had doubts, you must know that they are dozens and dozens of tiny meters tall, and their legs are so long that
they can easily step over houses like they were nothing.
In the lands of the Horde and Free Dominions, if you want to be sure to never fall prey to these spiders,
you must be especially careful to never venture in the damper recesses of the Inbetweens or among tall
mushrooms. After all, everyone knows that these spiders have a habit of standing perfectly still, with their
long legs camouflaging as mushroom stalks, only to close their grip on the unfortunate creatures that step
amid them.

The most cruel and violent of all huntsman spiders, and possibly the most ruthless creature in the House,
is Xerxes, also known as the Sunset Devil. This legendary monster has its lair in the depths of the Kashab
Desert, and it is powerful enough that it can grant a Wallstrider Contract.

Cobweb Storm: The huntsman spider weaves a huge web that covers everything.Characters who don’t pass
an Extreme Reaction Roll in Investigation + War don’t manage to find cover in time and become trapped.
See the Cobweb Trait.

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 ON THE SUBJECT OF SPIDERS

Out of all the creatures in the Household and Outhold few could boast the same respect afforded
to Spiders. To be absolutely clear, we are talking of the off-putting kind of respect usually reserved
for the most disgusting and terrifying creatures. Spiders lived in the bedtime stories for unruly
or naughty children, they haunted the nightmares of those who crossed their path, and generally
represented the ideal benchmark for everything ugly, unpleasant, and evil.
So came to be idioms like “son of a spider” and “ugly as spiders” and other expressions that
would be unfit to repeat here.

Safe to say that nobody – and I mean nobody – liked spiders, with the only exception of those
Sluagh who had learned the proper husbandry to raise them for their milk, poison, meat, and
in some rare instances, as steeds. Among these “Arachnights” we remember Mortimer Arluino,
who was thrown from the saddle and eaten by his mount; Agatone aka the Silk Knight, whose
mummified half-digested body still proudly sits on his spider; Collerio “two-and-half-tooth”, poi-
soned by his fierce steed; Ethereus Horatius Snowsong, who mysteriously vanished after aiding
his spider mare during delivery; as well as others.

While people generally avoid speaking about spiders long enough to separate them by name or
species, every littling knows the most feared spiders in the House are three, and that there are only
two people to have – allegedly – seen them all: Kubalai Khan and Capitano Rodomonte.

Undoubtedly, the most infamous of all spiders was Reginella, the ever-pregnant mother of spiders
and keeper of all manner of Contracts signed with the Household Forces. Some say she once was
a tiny spider, smaller than a speck of dust when she came to the House, and that Khan himself had
brought her along from the lost regions of Farbeyond. Regardless of the truth, it was determined
that killing her would put an end to the spider scourge, and many Golden Backs went to challenge
her over the years. That is probably the reason why her lair is also known as the Golden Hell.

The tallest and smartest spider was no doubt Longleg, who was defeated and maimed in single
combat by Rodomonte. Everyone knows that the Capitano took the spider’s leg and turned it into
a lethal spear like the Household has seldom seen. Longleg’s Longleg went on to strike through
and chase away the White Dragon in the Battle of Quillwaters, but that is a different story.

Finally, there was the biggest and strongest of all spiders, known as Ratchomper for pretty obvious
reasons. Nobody knew the location of his lair, indeed few cared to find out. They agreed he prob-
ably slept for long periods at a time and that he only awoke to eat – undoubtedly in abundance –
once every six or seven years, but people met him even more sparsely than that. At the time of the
Fragile Peace many had begun to believe he never existed, but they would soon be proven wrong.

Anyway, if you consider that in the end Longleg decapitated Kubalai Khan – certainly under
orders of the Capitano – you can safely state with approximate certainty that Rodomonte was
the only littling in History and in the Household to have seen the three great spiders and survive.
This is why many referred to him as “Spider Lord”, “Stodgy”, “Half-spider”, and – more quietly,
if I may – “The next meal”.

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 Appendix II
a n i n t r o d u c t o ry a dv e n t u r e

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 Pride & Prejudice
& C entipedes

To the Narrator FOREWORD

By the steep wall of the Great Stairs, where the Entry
Dear Narrator, this Appendix is for your eyes only, as Hall opens up on the Short Hallway, there’s a merry
it contains all the information needed to play through little village in the Hearth known as Stairside. The
an Adventure by the title of Pride & Prejudice & rural landscape here seems to exist outside of time, the
Centipedes. many mouse ranches and vast farmlands are sure to
So, dear reader, if you are not a Narrator, I suggest charm any traveler passing through.
you proceed no further, you wouldn’t want to spoil the
story for yourself ! And there, tucked away in the dusty streets of Stairside,
there’s an old-timey tavern. The creaking wooden sign
In “Pride & Prejudice & Centipedes”, the Characters has certainly seen better days, but it still happily an-
all convene at the Blue Rat, a small tavern in Stairside, nounces “The Blue Rat”.
where they’ll get swept up in an investigation of the Our littlings gathered here... But why?
Great Imperial Army.
An undine and a large centipede have been steal- Before going on with your narration, turn to your
ing food and livestock from garrisons and embas- Players. Ask them whether they’ve just woken up and
sies, bringing the town on the brink of a diplomatic are coming down for breakfast. Are they all together
incident. or does each of them have a table? Do they know each
other? Did they travel here together? Are they about to
Lieutenant D’Arcy is desperately searching for the leave? This might be their first meeting.
thief, hoping to placate the angry townsfolk, while
Miss Elizabeth Abbott is certain the culprit must be You don’t have to be detailed and exact in this phase
a wild beast. of the story. You just have to make sure that everyone
has a moment to introduce themselves and get into
This means the Characters will have to help the re- character. Be patient and try to involve everyone in the
sourceful Elizabeth and the upstanding D’Arcy to narration. When the mood is set, adventure can begin!
solve the mystery, and perhaps acknowledge their love.

r 306 s
 The Blue Rat introduces himself as Lieutenant Francois Guillaume
D’Arcy.
Old Abbott, the innkeeper here at the Blue Rat, is
cleaning glasses behind the bar. The old Boggart never “Please, everyone, remain seated and co-
loses his kind-hearted wrinkly smile. If he knows the operate with us. We are here to investigate
Characters, he’ll chat with them in a friendly tone, under orders of Gamekeeper General Jean
otherwise he’ll ask polite questions like a good host. Claude Van-Claude
of Mount Guignol.”
Suddenly the door opens. A cold draft blows in as a
handful of soldiers of the Great Imperial Army of the D’Arcy hands Abbot a search warrant. Then he turns
Realm enter the tavern. to scour the tavern with an air of superiority, looking
The littlings dutifully scatter throughout the tap- down on each patron.
room and begin moving tables and chairs in search
of something, asking all patrons to remain seated The soldiers approach the Characters, asking them to
with their hands in sight. The many questions of Old show their identification papers. The polite but cool
Abbott, baffled by the intrusion, go unanswered. tone of their requests perfectly mirrors the Lieutenant’s
The leader of the troop is a black-haired Fairy, a attitude.
handsome and taciturn young littling who simply
And now, dear Narrator, give your Players a chance to
speak. How do they react when asked for their papers?
Do they feel accused, treated as criminals, or are they
willing to cooperate? Is anybody hiding something?
Don’t rush it, leave them time to interact. Afterall, this
is their story.

“Lieutenant D’Arcy, this attitude

is insulting, you should leave
our tavern this instant!”

A young Boggart named Elizabeth, the feisty grand-

daughter of Old Abbot, barges out of the kitchen and
up to face the lieutenant. He stares at her coldly, abso-
lutely unimpressed.

“Miss Elizabeth, please refrain

from making a scene.
We are here on official business.”

The two begin to quarrel, as the embarrassed troop of

guards tries to continue their job. The argument gets
so heated that it’s impossible to understand what is
going on. If any Character tries to intervene or un-
derstand something about the situation, they’ll have to
first pass a Basic Action Roll.
Pictured Here:
Lieutenant D’Arcy

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 Since this is probably the first time a Player takes the
dice, it’s the perfect chance to review the rules of this
system with everybody else.
Explain that each Player can choose how to interact,
which Skill to use and in which Field.
Here, I’ll give you some examples:

ӳ The Character tries to focus to follow what

the arguing parties are saying (roll Insight +
Academia)

ӳ The Character tries to stop the altercation

(roll Authority + War)

ӳ The Character tries to mediate between the

two (roll Eloquence + Society)

ӳ The Character takes advantage of the confu-

sion to “borrow” the warrant (roll Dexterity + Pictured Here:
Miss Elizabeth
Street) Abbott.

If one of the Players finds an original or particularly

smart solution and gets a good Success, you could even D’Arcy believes the thief is a littling, maybe even
reward them with an Ace in the Field they used. a Boggart from the village, and that the people of
Stairside are obstructing the investigation. On the
other hand, Elizabeth thinks that some wild beast
must be responsible for the missing livestock and
that the Lieutenant is nothing but a prejudiced fool.
Harsh words that instantly worry her grandfather, Old
Abbott.

When tensions reach their peak, D’Arcy takes the first

chance to move away from Elizabeth to speak to the
Characters. Without standing on ceremony, he bluntly
Either by reading the warrant or convincing D’Arcy asks them if they’re involved in the theft: this calls for
to explain what is going on, the Characters finally a Basic Reaction Roll.
understand what is happening: several heads of live- And now it’s up to you, dear Narrator, you have to ask
stock, mostly hunting mice, have gone missing from the Players to React by rolling Will + Society in order
the nearby farms, and D’Arcy has been ordered to find to resist the pressure of the Lieutenant’s accusations.
the thief.
With a couple of extra questions, it’s easy to under- Those who Succeed will remain cool as a coin, while
stand that the Lieutenant and Elizabeth have quite those who fail will suffer the Scared condition: the
different stances on the situation. situation is just too tense!

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Lucky for them, consequences won’t be too harsh, as Elizabeth is certain that she’s heard the call of some
none of the Characters is involved in the theft, and large beast: a snarl, a roar, or something un-littling-
D’Arcy understands this immediately. All in all, he like echoing through the streets on the night of the
seems to be a reasonable littling, if a bit rude. theft. She states that no littling could have carried
away all that livestock unseen. Where would they hide
As the situation calms down, the Lieutenant leaves. it? No way, this is certainly the work of a large beast.

“If you want to aid the investigation, But there’s only one way to learn the truth: going to
please come by the garrison. The sooner the crime scene.
we catch the thief, the sooner we can for-
get about this nasty business. Good day.”

Elizabeth, on the other hand, is still fuming: she whis-

pers angrily about that “foolish chestnut-head of a
soldier who won’t listen to reason”, and goes back to
The Garrison
the kitchen, still grumbling. If the Characters choose to follow D’Arcy, they even-
tually reach the Great Imperial Army garrison. The
Now the Characters have a choice to make: will they place is surrounded by an angry mob of littlings of var-
trust young D’Arcy and follow him to the garrison, or ious Folks, many of them in uniform and all of them
side with Elizabeth and help her solve this case? elbowing each other to enter. The Lieutenant is forced
to march through them quickly as his soldiers remain
behind to keep the crowd at bay.

The Kitchen If the Characters question him about it, D’Arcy will
prove once again cold and stiff as usual, before finally
conceding.
If the Characters choose to follow Elizabeth, they’ll
find her in the kitchen of the Blue Rat, as she stains “They’re all furious. I know Miss Elizabeth
her apron, burns her fingers, and keeps ranting against believes me to be a heartless soldier. But if
the Lieutenant. I don’t find the culprit, I fear we’re risking
a diplomatic incident.”
When she sees the Characters, she proves distant, and
even incensed, especially if they didn’t openly disagree D’Arcy proceeds to explain that the missing mice were
with D’Arcy. stolen from the stables of the Hearth’s Army and the
But if the Characters offer their help, she has a Horde Embassy. He suspects this to be a plot by some
sudden change of demeanor and quickly proves to be littlings who wish to create unrest in town and pit the
both resourceful and brilliant in nature. No wonder her Folks against one another.
grandfather is constantly worried. Everyone is calling for the culprit to be caught and
the weight of the investigation rests on the young
“D’Arcy is only looking for some country Lieutenant’s shoulders.
littling he can push the blame on, that’s
what soldiers like him want! He just won’t Time to hurry to the crime scene!
listen.”

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 The Crime Up the
Scene Wall
The latest theft happened in the Horde Embassy sta- The tracks leave the stables and head toward the town
bles, a wooden building not too far from the Blue Rat limits. If the Characters are traveling with Elizabeth,
under constant supervision from a troop of Soldiers of they can easily follow them, but if they’re accompanied
the Great Blade. These littlings wear helmets or tur- by D’Arcy they’re going to hit a snag.
bans and sport mustard-colored uniforms. They also
don’t look very eager to let people through. The Character leading the way risks a close encoun-
ter with a bucket-full of mold and dew. An old lady
recognized the Lieutenant’s uniform and decided to
show her dissatisfaction with the Great Imperial Army
by targeting the group. The Characters must make a
Critical Reaction Roll of Caution + Street.

If the roll is successful, Characters who successfully

If the Characters accompany D’Arcy here, they can pass the roll will be hit face-first only by the insults
rely on his influence to gain undisturbed access to the of the disgruntled lady, but those who fail will suffer
crime scene. If they come here with Elizabeth, on the 3 Stress and lose one level of Decorum. If they score
other hand, they’ll have to make a Basic Action Roll. a Basic Success they can choose to either do Damage
However, littlings with a Decorum level of Elegant or Control or avoid the loss of Decorum.
higher gain a Help if they’re the ones who speak with
the guards. After dealing with this ambush, the Characters can
finally get back on the trail, which will lead them to
The crime scene is chaotic. The dusty stables appar- the imposing Wall.
ently used to host several smaller mice, but now ev- It seems like the tracks stop there. The Characters
erything is in disarray: the main door is off the hinges, must find a way to deal with this setback by making a
the animal feed scattered around, and the water tin Critical Action Roll.
spilled. As soon as they enter, the Characters must A Character could:
make a Critical Reaction Roll using Grace + Street. If
they Fail, the Character stumbles into a muddy puddle, ӳ Look for more tracks on the Wall (roll
soiling their shoes and trousers, and losing one level of Exploration + Street)
Decorum.
ӳ Climb up to search for an opening or some
After entering the stables, the Characters can search other hiding spot (roll Athletics + Street)
for clues or tracks by making a Basic Action Roll. If
they get a Basic Success, they indeed find a series of ӳ Listen carefully for any suspicious noises (roll
dragged tracks that could have been left just as easily Caution + Street)
by a littling or a beast. If a Character rolls a Critical
Success, on the other hand, they’ll be able to solve the Luckily Elizabeth knows the local flora and fauna of
mystery: those are the tracks of a littling, together with Stairside very well, and she can prove Helpful to any-
those of a beast! Time to see where they lead. one who asks for her help.

r 310 s
The truth is that the thief and the beast both climbed The Characters must make their way through the
their way up the Wall, to a small opening high up dark and gloomy passages, crossing through ominous,
above ground level: it’s a crack that leads into the creaky mounds of rubble to reach a secret hideout. If
dark Inbetweens. The only way the Characters have to they try to proceed with stealth, they must succeed in a
reach it is to also climb the Wall, walking onto curled Critical Action Roll. Otherwise, they can move freely.
up pieces of wallpaper that stick out from the surface.
After a long walk, the group finally arrives at a wide
But balancing on these thin walkways to climb the room in the space between the Pipings and a large
Wall won’t be easy, and the Characters will have to Brick. There is almost no light in the spherical space.
pass a Critical Action Roll. Fortunately, the training In there, the Characters finally find the thieves: a
and good reflexes of Lieutenant D’Arcy prove Helpful squat, approachable-looking Undine with a sad ex-
to all Characters who travel with him. Characters who pression, and a black centipede as long as ten littlings
fail will suffer Stress. curled up around him like a pet gecko.
You don’t see that every day!
As they get closer to the destination, the climb gets
easier. This, dear Narrator, is the perfect occasion to The name of the littling holed up here with the
have the littling traveling with the Characters, either centipede is Austin, he wears the simple clothes of
Elizabeth or D’Arcy, open up a little. Either of them a Hearthish farmer. The Characters have to be very
discloses they’re saddened by the fact that they’re go- careful now, as any attack or violent move against
ing on this investigation without the other’s approval. Austin will anger the centipede, immediately starting
Elizabeth keeps repeating how much she wishes the a combat.
Lieutenant would have listened to her, but her tone If the Characters have come here with Elizabeth, she
isn’t quite as angry. Maybe even tender. As if she want- warns them to be careful with the centipede: it’s a rare
ed him there. species coming from the Horde and it looks extremely
And what to say about D’Arcy, his grouchy, detached scared. On the other hand, if the group is with D’Arcy,
frown cracks for a moment when he sighs: if she only the Lieutenant will go straight to the point and order
trusted him! the Undine to surrender.

Persuading the thief to talk requires a Basic Action

Roll. As soon as this happens, Austin explains that he

The Inbetweens found the centipede closed into a small cage. The in-
sect came from far far away as a gift to a noble littling
in the Realm, and it felt miserable after being taken
After going through the expected upsets of young, away from the Basement.
unrequited hearts, the group finally reach their desti-
nation: a crack high up in the Wall that leads into the Unable to witness such sadness and do nothing, Austin
Inbetweens. decided to help the centipede and, in the end, the two
It’s now time to ramp up the suspense, dear Narrator, became friends. But a creature of that size needs a lot
as you tell your Players about how the warm, well-lit of food: Stealing was their only option.
landscape of the Hearth slowly vanishes behind the
Characters as they dive deeper into the dark, silent at- “She is completely innocent. She wouldn’t
mosphere of the dusty hollows that lay in-between the hurt a fly! I know stealing is wrong, but we
Walls. There is no wallpaper here, no lacquered wood, had no choice. Nobody should have to live
only flaky plaster and naked bricks caked around the in a cage.”
pipes and bones of the House.

r 311 s
About now, if the Characters traveled with Elizabeth, The
D’Arcy barges into the room, pin in hand, and tells the
Boggart to move away: he will protect her! If the group
traveled with D’Arcy instead, Elizabeth makes her en-
Final Scene
trance, pulling on the Lieutenant’s arm and asking him The ultimate goal is to put an end to the centipede’s
to be cautious. incursions. The Characters’ actions will decide if and
The centipede is innocent, but it is dangerous for the how this goal will be reached, and what the conse-
townsfolk. As the two infatuated littlings have their quences will be.
back and forth, it’s up to the Characters to decide what
to do: try to persuade Austin to hand himself over to
justice or fight and chase away the beast.
REASONING WITH AUSTIN
This conflict will kick-start a memorable scene in Debating with Austin is no easy feat: the undine is
which the Characters will be forced to either reason firmly convinced of his actions and good intentions.
with Austin or fight the fearsome centipede.
During this scene, the Players can make Action Rolls
to try and persuade Austin to cooperate with them.
When everyone has had their turn, you can ask
Players to make a Reaction Roll depending on Austin’s
disposition.
Some examples of appropriate Reaction Rolls
might be:

ӳ Austin calls on your good heart

(roll Care + Society)

ӳ Austin lies to you (roll Insight + Society)

ӳ The centipede thrashes about, trying to scare

you (roll Will + War)

All Action and Reaction Rolls made against Austin

have Critical Difficulty.
Additionally, Austin is hiding a wound to his arm,
the proof that not even he can control the centipede
completely. If a Character mentions this, they gain a
+1 to their next Action Roll.

If and when you feel like Austin has been completely

persuaded by the successes of the group’s arguments,
the conflict can reach a pacific conclusion.

On the other hand if, after six full turns of rolls – that
is, after the Characters have made 3 Action Rolls and
Pictured Here: 3 Reaction Rolls each – you believe Austin still hasn’t
Austin, a thief with a heart of gold.

r 312 s
changed his mind, then the centipede will begin to get If half of the Characters gets defeated, D’Arcy will
restless. There’s no other choice but to fight. sacrifice himself to let them escape, only asking them
to bring Elizabeth back to safety. In the general chaos,
If he is convinced, Austin will realize he can’t hide the the group can only do as they’re asked while every-
centipede any longer and, with a broken heart, he’ll thing crumbles around them.
decide to turn in to justice both himself and his friend.
D’Arcy will take the prisoners to justice, and his sol-
diers will meet them halfway back to town.

If the Characters don’t manage to persuade Austin,

D’Arcy will butt in to threaten Austin with weapons
Epilogue
drawn. This violent gesture will cause the wrath of the With the case solved in one of many ways, the
centipede. Elizabeth tries to step forward to get it to Characters can enjoy some well-deserved rest, as well
calm down, but it’s too late. The Boggart is hurt and as a pint of mushroom beer served at the Blue Rat.
the Lieutenant immediately tends to her. The group
will have to fight. If Austin has been persuaded to hand over the
Centipede, the Great Imperial Army offers to escort
the beast to the Basement, where she will be set free.
As for the undine, Lieutenant D’Arcy is willing to turn
FIGHTING a blind eye and go on record saying that Austin had
THE CENTIPEDE fled before he could be arrested.
The centipede will attack the Characters if:
If Elizabeth did get wounded while trying to save
ӳ A Character threatens Austin, attacks him, or D’Arcy, the Lieutenant will blame himself for it, but
acts openly aggressive toward him. good Abbott will immediately stop him, saying he’s
proud of his granddaughter.
ӳ A Character tries to blackmail or bribe If D’Arcy is the one who sacrificed himself, Elizabeth
Austin, making him outraged. will be inconsolable. She will then decide to journey to
the Piano, to bring the sad news to the Lieutenant’s
ӳ Half +1 Characters fail their Action or mother in person.
Reaction Rolls in the same round.
If D’Arcy and Elizabeth are both alive and well, they
ӳ Austin is not persuaded. will prove beyond hope and immediately go back to
their bickering. Any Character brave enough to step in
You can find the Centipede’s Sheet in the Appendix between the two fiery young littlings and try to make
“Opponents”. them realize that they are actually in love with each
other will have to succeed in a Basic Action Roll.
If they manage to defeat the centipede, as it thrashes in
pain for its wounds, it causes an earthquake that could
bury them in the Inbetweens.

Running away requires passing a Critical Reaction END

Roll made with Athletics + Street. After the disaster,
nobody will hear from Austin or the centipede ever
again.

r 313 s
 ANALYTICAL INDEX

Academia 101 Experiences 196 Profession 43, 50

Aces up your Sleeve 104 Extended Rolls 111 Profession-Specific Traits 78
Action Rolls 86 Extra Actions 92 Raising the Stakes 90
Advancement 196 Faeries 16 Range 118
All in 89 Failure 91, 94 Re-rolls 89
Animal Companion 70 Few Players 189 Reaction Rolls 93
Animal Handler 70 Field 44, 100 Realm 19, 214
Approach 86 Folk 14, 43 Reload 118
Arcadia Oberonovna, Zarina 19, 172, Free Dominions 31, 246 Returning on the Scene 99
180, 225 Free Re-rolls 89 Revenant from Farbeyond 138
Basement 260 Gadgets 156 Rodomonte, Capitano 37, 175, 180,
Bathroom 255 Gecko 76 269, 321
Beetle 74 Goal 86 Saga 184
Boggart 22 Hearth 25, 232 Salamanders 29
Bowing Out 99 Help 106 Scared 124
Bravespine 25, 180, 240 Hereditary Contract 131 Scholar 54
Brawl 119 Hindrance 107 Secondary Characters 108
Broken 125 Historical Events 191 Shabby 126
Bumblebee 75 Horde 37, 260 Shoot 118
Challenger 120 Hunter 58 Sick 124
Chapter 186 Hurt 124 Skills 44, 100
Character Sheet 42 Initiative 112 Sluagh 34
Coins 154 Joker 105 Society 100
Combat 112 Languages 47 Soldier 50
Concession 130 Living Room 232 Sprites 28
Conditions 122 Many Players 189 Starchild 132
Conflict 110 Master Bedroom 246 Street 103
Confused 124 Memories 199 Stress 97
Contracts 46, 130 Modifiers 90 Success 88
Counterpart 130 Mouse 77 Sylphs 28
Cover 118 Moves 104 Terrible Terrible Things 130, 146
Criminal 62 Multiple Difficulty 87, 97 Tired 124
Crucial Box 99 Nation 14, 43 Traits 45, 80
Damage Control 98 Opponent 112, 276 TTT 146
Dear to the Hearth 134 Opponent Moves 116 Uncouth 126
Decent 126 Opponent Sheet 112 Undines 28
Decorum 126 Opponent Traits 278 Upper Floor 244
Dice 84, 88 Opposed Rolls 121 Vocation 43, 50
Difficulty 87, 93 Out of the Draft 137 War 102
Dining Hall 214 Out of the Drain 137 Weak Spot 117, 280
Duel 120 Out of the Spark 136 Wealth 152
Duelist 66 Overstressed 97 Weapons 158
Elegant 126 Paragraph 188 Welcoming Contract 131, 148
Embarrassed 124 Personal Contract 131, 143 Wise Paracelsus 31, 168, 180, 251
Epilogue 188 Poisoned 125
Equipment 155 Pompous 126
 Society Aces up the sleeve Decorum
ART
CHARM
UNCOUTH DECENT POMPOUS
ELOQUENCE SHABBY ELEGANT

ETIQUETTE
GRACE
Traits Stress
Academia
CARE
CRAF T Conditions
CULTURE
EMBARRASSED TIRED
INSIGHT
CONF USED SICK
INVESTIGATION
NAME:
HURT POISONED
FOLK:
FRIGHTENED BROKEN
HOMELAND:

PROFESSION:
War
ATHLETICS
VOCATION:
AUTHORITY
oves Contracts LANGUAGES:
FIGHT
STRENGTH
WILL
emories
P.

I.
Street
II.
CAUTION
III.
DEXTERITY
IIII.
ELUSION
EXPLORATION TTT I II III IIII V

V.
SHOOT

POOR WELL-OFF

Equipment & Wealth MIDDLE CLASS RICH

Experiences

The classic Character Sheet

 Society Aces up the sleeve Decorum Memories
ART
CHARM
UNCOUTH DECENT POMPOUS PROLOGUE
ELOQUENCE SHABBY ELEGANT

ETIQUETTE
GRACE
CHAPTER I
Traits Stress
Academia CHAPTER II
CARE
CRAF T Conditions
CULTURE
EMBARRASSED TIRED CHAPTER III
INSIGHT
CONF USED SICK
INVESTIGATION
HURT POISONED
FRIGHTENED BROKEN CHAPTER IIII

War
ATHLETICS
AUTHORITY
FIGHT
oves Contracts
CHAPTER V
STRENGTH
WILL

Street
CAUTION
DEXTERITY
ELUSION
EXPLORATION TTT I II III IIII V

SHOOT
Experiences
POOR WELL-OFF

Equipment & Wealth MIDDLE CLASS RICH

Extended Character Sheet Front

 Inventory
pokets at home

bag

SIGNATURE:
Notes & Relationship
FOLK: HOMELAND:
♥♦♣ ♠
PROFESSION: VOCATION:

EYES: HAIR:

LANGUAGES:

Prologue Volume I
CAP I:

CAP II:

PAR II

CAP III:

PAR II

CAP IIII:

PAR II

PAR III

CAP V:

PAR II

PAR III

EPILOGUE:

Extended Character Sheet Back

 a Warm
Farewell

My dearest reader,

The pages I was granted have come to a close, and I Remember, my dearest reader and friend, that History
still feel like I have barely given you a glimpse of the is all that we have left of the past, and all that will
breadth and depth of Household History. There are bring us back to the future. If we never had a chance
many other places, dates, and famous littlings I would to turn back, we would never realize our origins, and
love to discuss as I wish to keep their rightful memo- hence not know our destination. Much less be able to
ry alive. And who knows how many more you might set a course!
know, you might not even realize the wealth hidden in I hope that the stories that this small book of mine
your mind and memories. will allow you to write will tell you more about who we
are and about this crazy journey we’re on.
After the events recounted in this volume, the First
Household War was sadly destined not to be the last. In the end, History teaches us that we are all connect-
The moment of peace granted to us by the Astraviya ed. All of us leave equally important marks on the map
Treaty will sadly be known through history as the of time.
Fragile Peace. A single littling, no matter who they are, can change
However, the future still held many great wonders the entire world.
and unbelievable advancements for us. There were
even some unexpected returns... And here I go. I had
intended not to anticipate anything and I am here
blabbering on and on. Meanwhile, the cover gets near- Herasmo J. Hemingway
er and reminds me that I have to say farewell.
There will be more volumes after this one, I’m cer-
tain, but no other will come with this thrill of novelty
and risk that I feel today.
 Z
For this first volume, I’m eager to thank my
better half, who waited for me day and night
outside the door to the study, as she looked at
her supper getting colder, and never second-
guessed my work.

I would also like to leave a word of

commendation for the great work of
Mr. Bilibinski, who shouldered the colossal
challenge to picture here the entirety of
Household History, and whom I even forgive
for painting me with this big crooked nose,
which is honestly excessive.

Also deserving of mention are all the littlings

who helped and supported me on my
journeys.
Especially Professor Flanagan, Miss. Winsor,
old Jossafat, marshal De La Cuve, and my
dear, beloved friend L.M

Z
Outside the House
the Outhold
awaits